Ikjae Lee1, Hui-Chien Kuo2, Inmaculada B Aban2, Gary R Cutter2, Tarrant McPherson2, Henry J Kaminski2, Jon Sussman2, Philipp Ströbel2, Joel Oger2, Gabriel Cea2, Jeannine M Heckmann2, Amelia Evoli2, Wilfred Nix2, Emma Ciafaloni2, Giovanni Antonini2, Rawiphan Witoonpanich2, John O King2, Said R Beydoun2, Colin H Chalk2, Alexandru C Barboi2, Anthony A Amato2, Aziz I Shaibani2, Bashar Katirji2, Bryan R F Lecky2, Camilla Buckley2, Angela Vincent2, Elza Dias-Tosta2, Hiroaki Yoshikawa2, Marcia Waddington-Cruz2, Michael T Pulley2, Michael H Rivner2, Anna Kostera-Pruszczyk2, Robert M Pascuzzi2, Carlayne E Jackson2, Jan J G Verschuuren2, Janice M Massey2, John T Kissel2, Lineu C Werneck2, Michael Benatar2, Richard J Barohn2, Rup Tandan2, Tahseen Mozaffar2, Robin Conwit2, Greg Minisman2, Joshua R Sonett2, Gil I Wolfe2. 1. From the Departments of Neurology (I.L.) and Biostatistics (H.-C.K., I.B.A., G.R.C., T.M., G.M.), University of Alabama at Birmingham; Department of Neurology (H.J.K.), George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC; Department of Neurology (J.S.), Greater Manchester Neuroscience Center, Salford, Greater Manchester, UK; Institute of Pathology (P.S.), University Medical Center Göttingen; Division of Neurology (J.O.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Neurology (G.C.), University of Chile, Santiago; Division of Neurology (J.M.H.), Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Neurology (A.E.), Catholic University, Rome, Italy; Department of Neurology (W.N.), Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany; Department of Neurology (E.C.), University of Rochester Medical Center, NY; Department of Neurosciences (G.A.), Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Division of Neurology (R.W.), Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Neurology (J.O.K.), Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia; Department of Neurology (S.R.B.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles; Department of Neurology (C.H.C.), McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Neurology (A.C.B.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Department of Neurology (A.A.A.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Nerve and Muscle Center of Texas (A.I.S.), Houston; Department of Neurology (B.K.), Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery (B.R.F.L.), Liverpool; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (C.B., A.V.), Oxford University, UK; Unit of Neurology (E.D.-T.), University of Brasilia, Brazil; Department of Neurology (H.Y.), Kanazawa University, Japan; Department of Neurology (M.W.-C.), Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Department of Neurology (M.T.P.), University of Florida, Jacksonville; Department of Neurology (M.H.R.), Augusta University, GA; Department of Neurology (A.K.-P.), Medical University of Warsaw, Poland; Department of Neurology (R.M.P.), Indiana School of Medicine, Indianapolis; Department of Neurology (C.E.J.), University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio; Department of Neurology (J.J.G.V.), Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (J.M.M.), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC; Department of Neurology (J.T.K.), Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus; Department of Neurology (L.C.W.), Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil; Department of Neurology (M.B.), University of Miami, FL; Department of Neurology (R.J.B.), University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Neurological Sciences (R.T.), University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington; Department of Neurology (T.M.), University of California Irvine Medical Center, Orange; Division of Extramural Research (R.C.), NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Section of General Thoracic Surgery (J.R.S.), Columbia University Medical Center, New York; and Department of Neurology (G.I.W.), University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, NY. leeij15@gmail.com. 2. From the Departments of Neurology (I.L.) and Biostatistics (H.-C.K., I.B.A., G.R.C., T.M., G.M.), University of Alabama at Birmingham; Department of Neurology (H.J.K.), George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC; Department of Neurology (J.S.), Greater Manchester Neuroscience Center, Salford, Greater Manchester, UK; Institute of Pathology (P.S.), University Medical Center Göttingen; Division of Neurology (J.O.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Neurology (G.C.), University of Chile, Santiago; Division of Neurology (J.M.H.), Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Neurology (A.E.), Catholic University, Rome, Italy; Department of Neurology (W.N.), Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany; Department of Neurology (E.C.), University of Rochester Medical Center, NY; Department of Neurosciences (G.A.), Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Division of Neurology (R.W.), Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Neurology (J.O.K.), Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia; Department of Neurology (S.R.B.), University of Southern California, Los Angeles; Department of Neurology (C.H.C.), McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Neurology (A.C.B.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Department of Neurology (A.A.A.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Nerve and Muscle Center of Texas (A.I.S.), Houston; Department of Neurology (B.K.), Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery (B.R.F.L.), Liverpool; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (C.B., A.V.), Oxford University, UK; Unit of Neurology (E.D.-T.), University of Brasilia, Brazil; Department of Neurology (H.Y.), Kanazawa University, Japan; Department of Neurology (M.W.-C.), Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Department of Neurology (M.T.P.), University of Florida, Jacksonville; Department of Neurology (M.H.R.), Augusta University, GA; Department of Neurology (A.K.-P.), Medical University of Warsaw, Poland; Department of Neurology (R.M.P.), Indiana School of Medicine, Indianapolis; Department of Neurology (C.E.J.), University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio; Department of Neurology (J.J.G.V.), Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (J.M.M.), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC; Department of Neurology (J.T.K.), Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus; Department of Neurology (L.C.W.), Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil; Department of Neurology (M.B.), University of Miami, FL; Department of Neurology (R.J.B.), University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Neurological Sciences (R.T.), University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington; Department of Neurology (T.M.), University of California Irvine Medical Center, Orange; Division of Extramural Research (R.C.), NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Section of General Thoracic Surgery (J.R.S.), Columbia University Medical Center, New York; and Department of Neurology (G.I.W.), University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, NY.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether sustained minimal manifestation status (MMS) with complete withdrawal of prednisone is better achieved in thymectomized patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS: This study is a post hoc analysis of data from a randomized trial of thymectomy in MG (Thymectomy Trial in Non-Thymomatous Myasthenia Gravis Patients Receiving Prednisone Therapy [MGTX]). MGTX was a multicenter, randomized, rater-blinded 3-year trial that was followed by a voluntary 2-year extension for patients with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive MG without thymoma. Patients were randomized 1:1 to thymectomy plus prednisone vs prednisone alone. Participants were age 18-65 years at enrollment with disease duration less than 5 years. All patients received oral prednisone titrated up to 100 mg on alternate days until they achieved MMS, which prompted a standardized prednisone taper as long as MMS was maintained. The achievement rate of sustained MMS (no symptoms of MG for 6 months) with complete withdrawal of prednisone was compared between the thymectomy plus prednisone and prednisone alone groups. RESULTS: Patients with MG in the thymectomy plus prednisone group achieved sustained MMS with complete withdrawal of prednisone more frequently (64% vs 38%) and quickly compared to the prednisone alone group (median time 30 months vs no median time achieved, p < 0.001) over the 5-year study period. Prednisone-associated adverse symptoms were more frequent in the prednisone alone group and distress level increased with higher doses of prednisone. CONCLUSIONS: Thymectomy benefits patients with MG by increasing the likelihood of achieving sustained MMS with complete withdrawal of prednisone. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT00294658. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with generalized MG with AChR antibody, those receivingthymectomy plus prednisone are more likely to attain sustained MMS and complete prednisone withdrawal than those on prednisone alone.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether sustained minimal manifestation status (MMS) with complete withdrawal of prednisone is better achieved in thymectomized patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS: This study is a post hoc analysis of data from a randomized trial of thymectomy in MG (Thymectomy Trial in Non-Thymomatous Myasthenia GravisPatients Receiving Prednisone Therapy [MGTX]). MGTX was a multicenter, randomized, rater-blinded 3-year trial that was followed by a voluntary 2-year extension for patients with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive MG without thymoma. Patients were randomized 1:1 to thymectomy plus prednisone vs prednisone alone. Participants were age 18-65 years at enrollment with disease duration less than 5 years. All patients received oral prednisone titrated up to 100 mg on alternate days until they achieved MMS, which prompted a standardized prednisone taper as long as MMS was maintained. The achievement rate of sustained MMS (no symptoms of MG for 6 months) with complete withdrawal of prednisone was compared between the thymectomy plus prednisone and prednisone alone groups. RESULTS:Patients with MG in the thymectomy plus prednisone group achieved sustained MMS with complete withdrawal of prednisone more frequently (64% vs 38%) and quickly compared to the prednisone alone group (median time 30 months vs no median time achieved, p < 0.001) over the 5-year study period. Prednisone-associated adverse symptoms were more frequent in the prednisone alone group and distress level increased with higher doses of prednisone. CONCLUSIONS: Thymectomy benefits patients with MG by increasing the likelihood of achieving sustained MMS with complete withdrawal of prednisone. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT00294658. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with generalized MG with AChR antibody, those receiving thymectomy plus prednisone are more likely to attain sustained MMS and complete prednisone withdrawal than those on prednisone alone.
Authors: E Beghi; C Antozzi; A P Batocchi; F Cornelio; V Cosi; A Evoli; M Lombardi; R Mantegazza; M L Monticelli; G Piccolo Journal: J Neurol Sci Date: 1991-12 Impact factor: 3.181