Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 8, 2025
Isolation and Transplantation of Different Aged Murine Thymic Grafts.
Published on: May 13, 2015
Determinants of Suboptimal Outcome Following Thymectomy in Myasthenia Gravis
A S Shreedhara1, Sruthi S Nair1, Madathipat Unnikrishnan2
1Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India.
Background:
Response to thymectomy in myasthenia gravis (MG) is influenced by various patient-, disease-, and therapy-related factors.
Methods:
Retrospective analysis of 128 patients with MG who underwent maximal thymectomy over 15 years was done to identify the determinants of suboptimal clinical outcome.
Results:
Among the 128 patients, 62 (48.4%) were females with a mean age of 38.97 (12.29) years. Thymomatous MG occurred in 66 (51.6%). Overall improvement from preoperative status was noted in 88 (68.8%) patients after mean follow-up of 51.68 (33.21) months. The presence of thymoma was the major predictor of suboptimal clinical outcome (P = 0.001), whereas age, gender, preoperative disease severity, and seropositive status did not attain significance. Patients with better outcome had received higher steroid dose preoperatively (P = 0.035).
Conclusions:
Suboptimal response after thymectomy occurred in one-third of MG patients, more commonly with thymomatous MG. Relationship of preoperative steroid therapy to remission merits evaluation.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which...
01:15Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic Tests
The edrophonium test is a diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis. It involves...
01:28Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
01:26Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
01:26Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
01:21Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects
Unlike...