Abstract
Objective: Some patients with thymoma reported to show higher antiacetylcholine receptor antibody titers without the preoperative occurrence of myasthenia gravis and some have suffered postoperative complications of myasthenia gravis despite being negative for antiacetylcholine receptor antibody preoperatively. We evaluated changes in antiacetylcholine receptor antibody titers and the occurrence of myasthenia gravis in thymoma patients.Methods: Subjects were 31 of 44 patients with thymoma undergoing thymothymectomy at Tokyo Women’s Medical University Hospital between 1987 to 1999 in whom antiacetylcholine receptor antibody titers were measured preoperatively. We studied postoperative changes in antiacetylcholine receptor antibody titers and the presence or absence of myasthenia gravis.Results: Eight patients were positive for antiacetylcholine receptor antibody preoperatively, suggesting the presence of subclinical myasthenia gravis. Neither postoperative changes in antiacetylcholine receptor antibody titers nor the occurrence of myasthenia gravis was observed in these 8 patients. Recurrent thymoma and rapid elevation of antiacetylcholine receptor antibody titers were observed postoperatively in 1 patient negative for antiacetylcholine receptor antibody preoperatively, resulting in manifestation of myasthenia gravis symptoms.Conclusion: We found no correlation between preoperative titers and myasthenia gravis symptoms. Rapid titer elevation indicates the occurrence of myasthenia gravis symptoms or the recurrence of thymoma.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lindstrom JM, Seybold ME, Lennon VA, Whittingham S. Antibody to acetylcholine receptor in myasthenia gravis: prevalence, clinical corelates, and diagnostic value. Neurology 1976; 26: 1054–1059.
Lennon VA. Serologic profile of myasthenia gravis and distinction from the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic sydrome. Neurology 1997; 48 (Suppl 5): 23–7.
Husain AM, Massey JM, Howard JF, Sanders DB. Acetylcholine receptor antibody measurements in aquired myasthenia gravis: diagnostic sensitivity and predictive value for thymoma. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1998; 841: 471–4.
Fujii Y, Monden Y, Hashimoto J, Nakahara K, Kawashima Y. Acethylcholine receptor antibody production by bone marrow cells in a patient with myasthenia gravis. Neurology 1985; 35: 577–9.
Yoshikawa H, Takamori S. Antiacethylcholine receptor antibody and myasthenia gravis. Saisinigaku 1998; 53: 603–10.
Baggi F, Andreetta F, Antozzi C, Simoncini O, Confalonieri P, Labeit S, et al. Antititin and antiry-anodine receptor antibodies in myasthenia gravis patients with thymoma. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1998; 841: 538–41.
Aarli JA, Skeie GO, Mygland A, Gilhus NE. Muscle striation antibodies in myasthenia gravis. Diagnostic and functional significance. Ann N.Y. Acad Sci 1998; 841: 505–15.
Ohta M, Itoh M, Hara H, Itoh N, Nishitani H, Hayashi K, et al. Antiskeletal muscle and antiacetylhcoline receptor antibodies in patients with thymoma without myasthenia gravis relation to the onset of myasthenia gravis. Clin Chim Acta 1991; 201: 201–6.
Ito M, Fujimura S, Monden Y, Watanabe Y, Shimizu N, Hirono T, et al. A retrospective group study on postthymomectomy myasthenia gravis. J Jpn Assn Thorac Surg 1992; 40: 189–93.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sakuraba, M., Onuki, T. & Nitta, S. Measurement of antiacetylcholine receptor antibody in patients with thymoma without myasthenia gravis complications. Jpn J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 49, 690–692 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913506
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913506