title: Coexistence of myasthenia gravis and serological markers of neurological autoimmunity in neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKeon
authors.forename: Vanda A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.forename: Anu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matiello
authors.forename: Claudia F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lucchinetti
authors.forename: Nilufer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.forename: Koon H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Weinshenker
authors.forename: Metha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Apiwattinakul
authors.forename: Dean M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wingerchuk
authors.forename: Sean J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pittock
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic