The role of thymomas in the development of myasthenia gravis.
Thymic pathology occurs in 80-90% of myasthenia gravis patients. Significant associations between different thymic alterations and clinical findings are discussed. To highlight peculiarities in thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis, we briefly review myasthenia gravis associated with thymic lymphofollicular hyperplasia (TFH) and thymic atrophy.
Marx
Alexander
A
Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany. path031@mail.uni-wuerzburg.de
Müller-Hermelink
Hans Konrad
HK
Ströbel
Philipp
P
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D001284:Atrophy / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery; D020361:Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013952:Thymus Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha