Clinical profile of myasthenia gravis in the Sultanate of Oman.
OBJECTIVE
Clinical study and follow up of myasthenia gravis patients in Oman.


METHODS
Follow up of 50 consecutive myasthenia gravis patients referred to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman for a median period of 3 years from 1997 to 2000. We based the diagnosis on the clinical picture, repetitive nerve stimulation tests and edrophonium test. We performed a computerized tomography scan of the chest and anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. We reviewed the results of immuno modulatory treatment including thymectomy and compared these with other studies.


RESULTS
Of 50 patients, 6 had purely ocular myasthenia. Of the 44 with generalized myasthenia, 28 had bulbar involvement and 12 required ventilatory support. Eight out of 29 thymectomized patients had drug free remission after 2 years. There was worsening of myasthenic symptoms in only one out of 8 pregnancies and deliveries.


CONCLUSIONS
Bulbar and ventilatory involvement are more common in our series as compared with western data. Pregnancy and delivery were well tolerated.
Jacob
Poovathoor C
PC
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. jacobpc@omantel.net.om
Tharakan
John T
JT
Chand
Pratap R
PR
Koul
Roshan L
RL
Chacko
Alexander P
AP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D009850:Oman; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D013934:Thymectomy