Myasthenia gravis aggravated by steroid-induced isolated mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis.
BACKGROUND
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is occasionally aggravated by chronic infection, of which there are many kinds.


METHODS
We report herein the case of a 56-year-old woman with MG aggravated by the activation of isolated mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis (MTL) during corticosteroid administration. The possibility of MTL had been disregarded in the differential diagnosis of aggravation of MG weakness, because MTL without pulmonary manifestations is uncommon even in areas where tuberculosis is endemic.


CONCLUSIONS
This case suggests that chronic infections such as tuberculosis should be considered in myasthenic patients with progressive exacerbation if definite evidence for aggravating factors of MG is not obtained.
Department of Neurology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
Tai-Seung
TS
Nam
Man-Seok
MS
Park
Kang-Ho
KH
Choi
Hyun-Jung
HJ
Jung
Geum-Jin
GJ
Yoon
Seong-Min
SM
Choi
Byeong-Chae
BC
Kim
Myeong-Kyu
MK
Kim
Ki-Hyun
KH
Cho
Dis Mon. 2007 Jan;53(1):10-5
17224318
N Engl J Med. 1994 Jun 23;330(25):1797-810
8190158
Neurology. 1980 May;30(5):554-7
7189263
Chest. 1995 Jun;107(6):1486-7
7781334
Ann Pharmacother. 1996 Nov;30(11):1298-303
8913413
Chest. 2002 Apr;121(4):1177-82
11948050
Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2005 Mar;27(3):401-4
15740946