title: Efficacy of low-dose FK506 in the treatment of Myasthenia gravis--a randomized pilot study.
abstract: To determine the efficacy of low-dose FK506 in the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG), untreated de novo patients were randomly selected to receive treatment with (n = 18) or without (n = 16) FK506, and were evaluated for 1 year after treatment with limitation of daily dose of prednisolone. Low-dose FK506 reduced the duration of early-phase therapy in hospital (p < 0.05) and the need for combined therapy with plasmapheresis and high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone or high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone alone (p < 0.05). It also reduced the daily dose of prednisolone (p < 0.05) required to maintain minimal manifestations of MGFA postintervention status. None of the patients exhibited significant side effects up to 1 year after treatment. These findings suggest that low-dose FK506 is safe and efficacious for the treatment of de novo MG patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagane
authors.forename: Kimiaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Utsugisawa
authors.forename: Daiji
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Obara
authors.forename: Ryushi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kondoh
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terayama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000379:methods; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016559:Tacrolimus; D008775:Methylprednisolone