title: Interferon causes no myasthenia in a seropositive patient with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: We describe a successful outcome of long-term interferon beta-1b therapy in a patient who had multiple sclerosis (MS) with positive serum autoantibody to muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR-Ab). Because of the reported possible causative linkage between interferon beta-1b and myasthenia gravis (MG), the presence of the pathogenic antibody complicated therapeutic strategies. We carefully observed the patient for further 6 months before the treatment, excluding symptomatic MG. The interferon beta-1b therapy then provided a clinical benefit. Hopefully this report will allow MS patients in similar situations to make more rapid, unprejudiced judgments than our patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8522, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Makito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furiya
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000276:immunology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta