Coexistence of myasthenia gravis and serological markers of neurological autoimmunity in neuromyelitis optica.
We systematically evaluated the frequency of neurological disorders and muscle and neural autoantibodies in 177 patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and in 250 control subjects (173 healthy; 77 multiple sclerosis, MS, patients). An excess of myasthenia gravis (MG, 2%), and muscle-type acetylcholine receptor antibody (11%) was detected among NMO patients. The presence of neural or muscle autoantibodies was more common in NMO patients (34%) than in MS patients or healthy controls (7%), P < 0.0001. The coexistence of NMO and MG should be considered in atypical or refractory presentations of either disorder.
McKeon
Andrew
A
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Lennon
Vanda A
VA
Jacob
Anu
A
Matiello
Marcelo
M
Lucchinetti
Claudia F
CF
Kale
Nilufer
N
Chan
Koon H
KH
Weinshenker
Brian G
BG
Apiwattinakul
Metha
M
Wingerchuk
Dean M
DM
Pittock
Sean J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic