Ocular myasthenia: diagnostic and therapeutic problems

Acta Neurol Scand. 1988 Jan;77(1):31-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1988.tb06970.x.

Abstract

Forty-eight patients with purely ocular myasthenia were studied. Tensilon test was positive in 46 patients (95%); decremental response from limb muscles was present in 24 patients (50%); anti-AChR antibodies were detected in 20 patients of 44 (45.5%). Twenty-two patients underwent thymectomy, 18 were given corticosteroids, 42 received AChE drugs. At the end of the observation period, 8% of the patients were in remission, 67% were improved, 25% were unchanged. In our experience, the diagnosis of ocular myasthenia relies mainly on clinical data; AChE drugs are not very effective in extrinsic ocular muscles; indications for thymectomy should be restricted to thymoma cases and, perhaps, to patients in the early stages of the disease, within the first year of onset; corticosteroids are effective in most cases, but relapses after withdrawal are not uncommon.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Eye Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Eye Diseases / drug therapy
  • Eye Diseases / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / diagnosis*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / drug therapy
  • Myasthenia Gravis / immunology
  • Pyridostigmine Bromide / therapeutic use*
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / immunology*
  • Thymus Gland / surgery

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Receptors, Cholinergic
  • Pyridostigmine Bromide