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Thymectomy and Antibodies to Acetylcholine Receptors in Myasthenia Patients during the Early Post-Operative Period

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A total of 21 patients with myasthenia underwent thymectomy with removal of hyperplastic thymus tissue. Thymectomy in 14 patients was performed using a thoracoscopic approach and in seven via thoracotomy. Serum anti-acetylcholine receptor levels were assayed after surgery and demonstrated increases in both groups of patients in the early post-operative period (one month) as compared with the pre-operative period. It is suggested that these changes represent the immune response to the stress situation associated with surgical intervention. The increase in antibody levels was somewhat greater in patients with thoracotomy access, which may be associated with the greater volume of tissue removed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Oncology Clinic, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia

    V. N. Nikishov & E. I. Sigal

  2. Department of Neurology, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia

    E. I. Bogdanov

  3. Moscow Myasthenia Center, Moscow Health Department, Moscow, Russia

    A. G. Sanadze, D. V. Sidnev, S. I. Dedaev & A. V. Kondrat’ev

Authors
  1. V. N. Nikishov
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  2. E. I. Bogdanov
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  3. A. G. Sanadze
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  4. E. I. Sigal
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  5. D. V. Sidnev
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  6. S. I. Dedaev
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  7. A. V. Kondrat’ev
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Correspondence to A. G. Sanadze.

Additional information

Translated from Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S. S. Korsakova, Vol. 112, No. 9, Iss. I, pp. 32–36, September, 2012.

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Nikishov, V.N., Bogdanov, E.I., Sanadze, A.G. et al. Thymectomy and Antibodies to Acetylcholine Receptors in Myasthenia Patients during the Early Post-Operative Period. Neurosci Behav Physi 43, 1121–1125 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-013-9859-0

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