Beneficial effect of tacrolimus on myasthenia gravis with thymoma.
We examined the effect of tacrolimus on myasthenia gravis (MG). Five patients with thymoma and 5 patients without thymoma underwent prior thymectomy but showed persistent myasthenic symptoms. Oral administration with tacrolimus significantly improved MG scores 1, 3, and 6 months following the beginning of treatment in all patients (P < 0.05), and the improvement was significantly higher in the thymoma group compared with the nonthymoma group (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant change in antiacetylcholine receptor titers in either group. This indicates a particular application of immunosuppressive therapy for thymomatous MG following thymectomy.
Mitsui
Takao
T
Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Sciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School of Medicine, Tokushima, Japan. tmitsui@clin.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp
Kunishige
Makoto
M
Ichimiya
Michiko
M
Shichijo
Kana
K
Endo
Itsuro
I
Matsumoto
Toshio
T
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D016559:Tacrolimus