MYASTHENIA GRAVIS AND AUTOIMMUNE THYROID DISEASE
Abstract
Background. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune
disease mediated by autoantibodies against the nicotinic
acetylholin receptors at the neuromuscular junction. Patients
with myasthenia gravis often have circulating antibodies against
a variety of tissue constituents. Several studies have shown
an increased occurrence of other autoimmune diseases.
Patients and methods. The authors presented a patient with
generalizired myasthenia gravis, which considerably weakened
the oropharyngeal muscle and caused ocular palsies. At
the same time the patient’s autoimmune thyroid disease with
hypotireosis was discovered. At first the patient reacted well to
the therapy with pyridostigmin bromid and levotiroxin but
after six months her clinical status worsened, what was mainly
seen as oropharingeal muscle weakness, ocular palsies, ptosis
and weakness of proximal arm muscles. The authors decided
for the additional treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins
and immunosupressive therapy.
Conclusions. The authors described a case of the patient with
myasthenia gravis and associated autoimmune thyroid disease
with hypotireosis. It is generally known that autoimmune
diseases can be associated with myasthenia gravis, which
could trigger or worsen the disease. That is why we always
have to think of a possibility of other associated autoimune
diseases and broaden the diagnostic research.
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