title: Factors affecting outcome in myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Information from myasthenia gravis (MG) patients treated and evaluated for at least 2 years between 1980 and 2014 was reviewed to assess the effect of demographics, antibody status and titer, thymus histology, and clinical severity on outcome after 2, 5, and 10 years of treatment.
  
  
  
  Among 268 patients, 74% had acetylcholine receptor antibodies, 5% had muscle specific tyrosine kinase-antibodies, and 22% had neither. Optimal outcome was achieved by 64% of patients at 2 years of follow-up, 73% at 5 years, and 75% after 10 years. Optimal outcome was achieved more often in patients with late onset, in those who had thymectomy, and in those with ocular-only disease at maximum severity. The only consistent independent predictor of optimal outcome was onset after age 50 years on multivariate analysis.
  
  
  
  Prognosis is favorable for the majority of MG patients, regardless of age, maximum disease severity, or antibody status. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 54: 1041-1049, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 87, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Jintana B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 87, 5021, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Nils Erik
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Gilhus
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Donald B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013934:Thymectomy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic
keywords: clinical course; myasthenia gravis; outcome; patient registry; prognostic factors; treatment