Mycophenolate mofetil therapy in Taiwanese myasthenia gravis.
BACKGROUND
Mycophenolate mofetil (MM) has been successfully used for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases, including myasthenia gravis (MG). We compare our experience treating Taiwanese myasthenic patients with MM to analogous Caucasian series.


METHODS
From October 2003 to April 2008, we treated 6 myasthenic patients with MM for at least one year at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital. The inclusion criteria for MM treatment included poor responses to previous treatment or intolerance to the side effects of previous immunosuppressive therapies. The MM was given orally with a dose of 1 g twice per day. Mandatory surveillance laboratory studies and clinical assessment were performed periodically.


RESULTS
Three of our six patients responded well to MM treatment in terms of improvement in MG score and achievement of minimal manifestation status. The fourth patient showed delayed onset of response 12 months after commencement of MM treatment. Steroid-sparing effect could be demonstrated in 4 patients. The overall response rate (66%) was slightly lower than that reported for Caucasian series. Clinical improvement generally began in the second to four months. MM was well tolerated.


CONCLUSIONS
MM was well tolerated by our six treated patients. Although the clinical response was modest, MM has its advantage of a relatively rapid response onset and steroid-sparing effect.
Yeh
Jiann-Horng
JH
Department of Neurology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chen
Wei-Hung
WH
Chiu
Hou-Chang
HC
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid