title: [Serum anti-titin antibody in patients with myasthenia gravis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the clinical significance of serum anti-titin antibody level in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG) with thymoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum anti-titin antibody was analysed by ELISA method in 40 cases of health control group, 90 cases of MG, 17 cases of MG with thymoma and 7 cases of no-MG thymoma. The positive rate was compared among these groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive rate of anti-titin antibody was significantly higher in MG with thymoma patients than MG patients (94% and 3%, P < 0.01). According to the Osserman's classification, anti-titin antibody was present mostly in patients (43%) in IV stage, and also present in 2 cases of 7 who with no-MG thymoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum anti-titin antibody test is helpful in the diagnosis of MG with thymoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Yan-feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun-bao
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-ying
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D064211:Connectin; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000276:immunology*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D064211:Connectin; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C577285:TTN protein, human; D011494:Protein Kinases