Clinical manifestations accompanying diseases, complications, and thymus pathologies in 102 patients with myasthenia gravis

ABSTRACT

Myasthenia gravis [MG] is the most common autoimmune neuromuscular disease that may occur in any age. Regarding to the controversies about the epidemiology of MG and lack of sufficient data about MG status in Iran, the present study was performed on patients referred to Shafa hospital, in Kerman, between 1998-2003 in order to determine clinical manifestations, accompanying diseases, complications, and thymus pathologies in patients with MG. It was a descriptive study including 102 patients with MG. Initial data about sex, age of disease onset, disease severity according to Osserman classification, respiratory crisis, thymus pathology, and accompanying diseases were recorded. Chi- square and independent t-test were used for statistical analysis. The study population included 69[68%] females and 33[32%] males. For patients aged >40 years, female to male [F/M] ratio was 11. Disease manifestations were commenced before 20 and 40 years of old in 15.8% and 76.2% of patients respectively. Follicular hyperplasia of thymus was reported in 61.5%, whereas in 23% the pathology was normal or atrophy and in 15.4% was thymoma. Ocular involvement was found in 20.6% of patients. Based on Osserman classification, severity of IIA, IIB, III and IV were reported in 43.1, 21.6, 10.8, and 3.9% of the subjects, respectively. F/M ratio, age of disease onset, pathology of thymus, disease severity, and accompanying diseases have shown slight differences with prior studies. Epidemiological studies in other parts of the country are suggested