title: Clinical and immunological predictors of prognosis for Japanese patients with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis.
abstract: There are no immunological markers to predict the prognosis of thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis (MG). Clinical and immunological factors associated with thymoma recurrence or MG relapse were examined by logistic analyses in 56 Japanese patients with thymoma-associated MG. Patients with anti-Kv1.4 antibodies showed higher frequencies of thymoma recurrence and MG relapse compared to those without. Anti-Kv1.4 antibody, Masaoka stage 4, World Health Organization type B3, and adjuvant radiotherapy were associated with thymoma recurrence. Multivariate analyses showed that anti-Kv1.4 antibody was the only independent factor associated with MG relapse. Anti-Kv1.4 antibody is a useful predictor of the prognosis of thymoma-associated MG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. sgsuzuki@z3.keio.jp
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimoto
authors.forename: Mitsutomo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Kimiaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Utsugisawa
authors.forename: Yuriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagane
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuwana
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051665:Kv1.4 Potassium Channel / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D051665:Kv1.4 Potassium Channel