ISSN:
1432-1459
Keywords:
Myasthenia gravis
;
Thymectomy
;
Thymoma CD4+CD8+
;
Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Twenty patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were studied prospectively for up to 5 years after thymectomy, in order to clarify the relationships between disease severity, anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (anti-AChR) titres, proportions of circulating CD4+CD8+ cells (CD4+CD8+ cell level) and major lymphocyte subsets. The CD4+CD8+ cell levels were closely related to the clinical change within 1 year after surgery in 8 patients who showed a preoperative elevation in the cell levels. This group of patients consisted of six thymomatous and two non-thymomatous patients; the latter were both negative for anti-AChR. The anti-AChR titres generally changed in parallel with the clinical state in 9 of the 16 patients who were followed up for more than a year after thymectomy, and the CD4+CD8+ cell levels were useful in predicting the clinical course in 6 of the above 9 patients and 3 other patients, including antibody-negative cases. The present study suggests that the CD4+CD8+ cell levels may serve as an indicator for long-term prognosis of MG.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00314374
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