Background:Myasthenia gravis(MG)and neuromyelitis optica(NMO,also known as Devic disease)are rare autoimmune disorders,with upper-limit prevalence estimates in the general population of 15 per 100 000 and 5 per 100 00...Background:Myasthenia gravis(MG)and neuromyelitis optica(NMO,also known as Devic disease)are rare autoimmune disorders,with upper-limit prevalence estimates in the general population of 15 per 100 000 and 5 per 100 000,respectively.To our knowledge,an association between these diseases has not been previously reported.Objectives:To describe 4 patients with MG who developed NMO after thymectomy and to analyze possible causes of apparent increased prevalence of NMO among patients with MG.Design:Case series.Patients:Four patients with MG who underwent thymectomy.Interventions:None.Results:The prevalence of MG within the published cohort of patients with NMO is more than 150 times higher than that in the general population.Conclusion:Dysregulation of B-cell autoimmunity in myasthenia,possibly exacerbated by loss of control over autoreactive cells as a result of thymectomy,may predispose patients to the development of NMO.展开更多
文摘Background:Myasthenia gravis(MG)and neuromyelitis optica(NMO,also known as Devic disease)are rare autoimmune disorders,with upper-limit prevalence estimates in the general population of 15 per 100 000 and 5 per 100 000,respectively.To our knowledge,an association between these diseases has not been previously reported.Objectives:To describe 4 patients with MG who developed NMO after thymectomy and to analyze possible causes of apparent increased prevalence of NMO among patients with MG.Design:Case series.Patients:Four patients with MG who underwent thymectomy.Interventions:None.Results:The prevalence of MG within the published cohort of patients with NMO is more than 150 times higher than that in the general population.Conclusion:Dysregulation of B-cell autoimmunity in myasthenia,possibly exacerbated by loss of control over autoreactive cells as a result of thymectomy,may predispose patients to the development of NMO.
