The long term experience of thymectomy for myasthenia gravis
A retrospective survey of the records of 287 patients with generalised myasthenia gravis treated at New End Hospital and later at the Royal Free Hospital by anticholinesterase drugs, with or without thymectomy, between the years 1942 and 1976, shows that 62% of patients were improved. The timing of...
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Published in | Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 48; no. 5; pp. 401 - 406 |
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Main Authors | , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
London
BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
01.05.1985
BMJ BMJ Publishing Group LTD |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | A retrospective survey of the records of 287 patients with generalised myasthenia gravis treated at New End Hospital and later at the Royal Free Hospital by anticholinesterase drugs, with or without thymectomy, between the years 1942 and 1976, shows that 62% of patients were improved. The timing of the operation, the grading of disease and the age and sex of the patient did not greatly influence overall results. The poor diagnosis of thymic tumours was confirmed in this series. A decrease occurred in the number of patients achieving complete remission after 1961, although the proportion of patients improving did not fall. It is possible that anticholinesterase therapy may alter the response to thymectomy. |
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Bibliography: | PMID:3998750 href:jnnp-48-401.pdf istex:8DF3EB5C7F1F0A39853ED9BFA7AA8F3A13573273 ark:/67375/NVC-M23WQ8FK-T local:jnnp;48/5/401 ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0022-3050 1468-330X |
DOI: | 10.1136/jnnp.48.5.401 |