Myasthenic ophthalmoparesis: Time To resolution after initiating immune therapies

Although immunotherapies such as prednisone are effective in treating myasthenic muscle weakness, their effect on resolution of myasthenic-induced persistent ophthalmoparesis is unknown.

We observed patients with myasthenia gravis during their first year of immunotherapy, documenting ophthalmoplegia scores and drug doses.

Seventy-six of 87 cases had persistent ophthalmoparesis. With immunotherapy, the median time to resolution of ophthalmoparesis was 7 months, and 37% of cases resolved within 3 months. Patients starting therapy within 12 months of symptom onset were twice as likely to have resolution in the first year (P = 0.028). Resolution of ophthalmoparesis within 3 months, compared with later resolution, was associated with higher initial prednisone doses (mean 0.5 vs. 0.3 mg/kg/day; P = 0.014). However, 25% of the higher dose group also received intravenous immunoglobulin/plasma exchange; after their exclusion, the finding was not significant.

One-third of cases with myasthenic ophthalmoparesis resolved within 3 months of immunotherapy, particularly in response to more aggressive immunotherapy. Muscle Nerve 58: 542-549, 2018.