title: Retrospective analyses of clinical features and therapeutic outcomes in thymectomized patients with myasthenia gravis at Shinshu University.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Thymectomy has become recognized as an integral element in the treatment of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Although the incidence of elderly-onset MG has recently been increasing, there is little data demonstrating the efficacy and complications of thymectomy in this population. To clarify this point, we divided the thymectomized patients with MG into young and elderly groups, and retrospectively examined their clinical features and therapeutic outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 57 MG patients who had been admitted to our hospital between 1988 and 2002. The patients were classified into young (younger than 60) and elderly (60 or older) groups according to the age of onset, and the therapeutic outcomes of thymectomy were evaluated using myasthenic severity scales and the duration from operation to discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Myasthenic severity scales significantly improved after thymectomy in the elderly group both with (p<0.005) and without thymoma (p<0.05) compared with before. With regard to the duration from thymectomy to discharge, no significant difference could be found between the young and elderly groups, irrespective of associated thymoma. There were no serious complications during and after thymectomy in either the young or the elderly group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite various possible complications due to aging, thymectomy should be actively considered also in the treatment of elderly MG patients because it can reliably and safely improve myasthenic symptoms in combination with immunosuppressive agents, including corticosteroid.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dohi-Iijima
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sekijima
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haniuda
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Shu-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome