Myasthenie.com

Brain Behav. 2021 Jun 2:e02203. doi: 10.1002/brb3.2203. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChR-Ab) concentration levels and individualized clinical symptoms in patients with AChR myasthenia gravis (AChR-MG) in China.

METHODS: ELISA was used to determine the concentration of AChR-Ab in patients with MG. The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) Clinical Classification, Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG) score, and MG-specific activities of daily living (MG-ADL) scoring systems were used to evaluate the clinical status of patients. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between the AChR-Ab concentration and clinical score. The changes in the antibody concentration and clinical score are shown in MGFA-antibody concentration-treatment plots.

RESULTS: Autoantibody detection tests were performed in 67 patients, and their clinical scores were recorded. Forty-nine patients received immunosuppressive therapy, 17 patients received pyridostigmine only, and 1 patient under thymectomy without any medication. The AChR-Ab concentration correlated with the MGFA Classification in 5 (29.4%) patients in the pyridostigmine-only group and 15 (30.6%) patients in the immunosuppressive drug group. The changes in the MGFA Classification preceded the changes in the AChR-Ab concentration in 4 (23.5%) patients treated with pyridostigmine and 10 (20.4%) patients on immunosuppressive drugs. In patients on oral non-steroidal immunosuppressants, the AChR-Ab concentration changed by more than 50%, whereas the MGFA Classification did not increase. The AChR-Ab concentration decreased in 17/32 (53.1%) patients after thymectomy, and then increased, whereas the AChR-Ab concentration increased in 15/32 (46.9%) patients and the MGFA Classification decreased in 27/32 (81.8%) patients after thymectomy. The AChR-Ab concentration presented a slight correlation with the corresponding MGFA, QMG, and MG-ADL in patients with thymoma.

DISCUSSION: In the Chinese AChR-MG population, the Changes in the AChR-Ab concentration in individuals with AChR-MG did not consistently correlate with the severity of clinical symptoms.

PMID:34075720 | DOI:10.1002/brb3.2203


Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3407572 ... 6&v=2.14.4