Abstract Details

Title Myasthenia Gravis. A Retrospective Argentine Hospital-Based Study

Topic Muscle Disease/Neuromuscular Junction

Presentation(s) P02 - (-)

Poster/Presentation
Number 206

Objective

Background BACKGROUND: MG is a relative uncommon disease, with a prevalence estimated approaching 20/100000 worldwide. Data from Argentina are not available.

Design/Methods DESIGN/METHODS: Records of patients with MG, followed up at the Neuroimmunology Unit of the Ramos Mejia Hospital were reviewed. Epidemiological, clinical and immunological features were evaluated.

Results RESULTS: Out of 91 MG patients, 63.7% were female. The mean age of onset was 37.5 and the mean disease duration was 8.9 years. 81.6% (71/87) were acetylcholine receptors antibody (AChr-Ab) positive. 1/7 AChr-Abs negative patients was anti-MuSK positive. 6.9% were diagnosed before age 12, all females. Twenty-eight cases (30.8%) had late-onset MG (LO-MG) (onset age >50). This group was characterized by male predominance (male-to-female ratio 1.8/1), which was accentuated in the subgroup with onset age older than sixty (male-to-female ratio 4.3/1). The first main symptoms were ocular (56%) but only 9.9% persisted as ocular MG. 45.1% (41 patients) MG patients had moderate disease (MGFA III) and 9.9% (9 patients) had myasthenic crisis. In LO-MG, 46.4 % (13/28) presented moderate or severe disease (MFGA III-V) at worst status, compared to 74.6% (47/63) in early onset MG (EO-MG) MG (onset age <50). Also, LO-MG patients, compared to EO-MG patients, required anticholinesterase inhibitors more frequently as the only treatment along the disease, 35.7% vs. 20.6%. Among 22 patients who underwent thymectomy, 7 had thymic tumors (9%). 27.5% presented associated autoimmune diseases, hypothyroidism was the most frequent. Familial MG was diagnosed in 2.2%.

Conclusions CONCLUSIONS: MG patients in our population had clinical characteristics similar to others previously reported. However, as particular features, late onset MG seems to have less severe disease, with less frequency of myasthenic crisis and inmunosuppresion requirements. The male predominance, already reported, was greater than expected in the LO group.

Authors/Disclosures
Florencia Aguirre PRESENTER	No disclosure on file
Luciana Melamud	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Andres M. Villa, MD (Hospital Ramos Mejia)	Dr. Villa has nothing to disclose.
Timothy K. Vartanian, MD, PhD (Weill Cornell Medical College)	Dr. Vartanian has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for Biogen. Dr. Vartanian has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for Genentech. Dr. Vartanian has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Novartis. Dr. Vartanian has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Tisch MS Center. Dr. Vartanian has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Biogen.

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