Coexistence of myasthenia gravis and serological markers of neurological autoimmunity in neuromyelitis optica

Muscle Nerve. 2009 Jan;39(1):87-90. doi: 10.1002/mus.21197.

Abstract

We systematically evaluated the frequency of neurological disorders and muscle and neural autoantibodies in 177 patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and in 250 control subjects (173 healthy; 77 multiple sclerosis, MS, patients). An excess of myasthenia gravis (MG, 2%), and muscle-type acetylcholine receptor antibody (11%) was detected among NMO patients. The presence of neural or muscle autoantibodies was more common in NMO patients (34%) than in MS patients or healthy controls (7%), P < 0.0001. The coexistence of NMO and MG should be considered in atypical or refractory presentations of either disorder.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Autoimmunity / immunology*
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / blood*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / epidemiology
  • Myasthenia Gravis / immunology*
  • Neuromuscular Junction / immunology
  • Neuromuscular Junction / physiopathology
  • Neuromyelitis Optica / blood*
  • Neuromyelitis Optica / epidemiology
  • Neuromyelitis Optica / immunology*
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / immunology
  • Sex Distribution
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Biomarkers
  • Receptors, Cholinergic