title: Myasthenia gravis: disease severity and prognosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine myasthenia gravis (MG) severity and long-term prognosis in seronegative, seropositive, and thymoma MG.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four series of patients were studied retrospectively. Severity and treatment were assessed each year, and muscle antibodies were assayed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seropositive MG patients had a more severe course than seronegative MG patients. MG severity was higher in non-thymectomized compared to thymectomized early-onset MG patients. MG severity did not differ between thymectomized and non-thymectomized late-onset patients. There was no significant difference in MG severity between thymoma and non-thymoma MG patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MG is more severe in seropositive MG patients. With proper treatment, especially early thymectomy, the long-term prognosis is good in seropositive MG patients. The present studies indicate a benefit of thymectomy in early-onset MG, but no dramatic benefit in late-onset MG. Similar MG severity and outcome was seen in thymoma and non-thymoma MG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. fredrik.romi@haukeland.no
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romi
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Gilhus
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Aarli
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000276:immunology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013945:Thymoma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; C095714:MUSK protein, human; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases