Tarin A Europa1, Melissa Nel1, Jeannine M Heckmann1. 1. Neurology Research Group, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Although immunotherapies such as prednisone are effective in treating myasthenic muscle weakness, their effect on resolution of myasthenic-induced persistent ophthalmoparesis is unknown. METHODS: We observed patients with myasthenia gravis during their first year of immunotherapy, documenting ophthalmoplegia scores and drug doses. RESULTS: Seventy-six of 87 cases had persistent ophthalmoparesis. With immunotherapy, the median time to resolution of ophthalmoparesis was 7 months, and 37% of cases resolved within 3 months. Patients starting therapy within 12 months of symptom onset were twice as likely to have resolution in the first year (P = 0.028). Resolution of ophthalmoparesis within 3 months, compared with later resolution, was associated with higher initial prednisone doses (mean 0.5 vs. 0.3 mg/kg/day; P = 0.014). However, 25% of the higher dose group also received intravenous immunoglobulin/plasma exchange; after their exclusion, the finding was not significant. DISCUSSION: One-third of cases with myasthenic ophthalmoparesis resolved within 3 months of immunotherapy, particularly in response to more aggressive immunotherapy. Muscle Nerve 58: 542-549, 2018.
INTRODUCTION: Although immunotherapies such as prednisone are effective in treating myasthenic muscle weakness, their effect on resolution of myasthenic-induced persistent ophthalmoparesis is unknown. METHODS: We observed patients with myasthenia gravis during their first year of immunotherapy, documenting ophthalmoplegia scores and drug doses. RESULTS: Seventy-six of 87 cases had persistent ophthalmoparesis. With immunotherapy, the median time to resolution of ophthalmoparesis was 7 months, and 37% of cases resolved within 3 months. Patients starting therapy within 12 months of symptom onset were twice as likely to have resolution in the first year (P = 0.028). Resolution of ophthalmoparesis within 3 months, compared with later resolution, was associated with higher initial prednisone doses (mean 0.5 vs. 0.3 mg/kg/day; P = 0.014). However, 25% of the higher dose group also received intravenous immunoglobulin/plasma exchange; after their exclusion, the finding was not significant. DISCUSSION: One-third of cases with myasthenic ophthalmoparesis resolved within 3 months of immunotherapy, particularly in response to more aggressive immunotherapy. Muscle Nerve 58: 542-549, 2018.
Authors: Alvin Pumelele Ndondo; Brian Eley; Jo Madeleine Wilmshurst; Angelina Kakooza-Mwesige; Maria Pia Giannoccaro; Hugh J Willison; Pedro M Rodríguez Cruz; Jeannine M Heckmann; Kathleen Bateman; Angela Vincent Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2022-03-09 Impact factor: 7.561
Authors: Pushpa Narayanaswami; Donald B Sanders; Gil Wolfe; Michael Benatar; Gabriel Cea; Amelia Evoli; Nils Erik Gilhus; Isabel Illa; Nancy L Kuntz; Janice Massey; Arthur Melms; Hiroyuki Murai; Michael Nicolle; Jacqueline Palace; David Richman; Jan Verschuuren Journal: Neurology Date: 2020-11-03 Impact factor: 9.910