[Intermittent methylprednisolone pulse therapy for myasthenia gravis in childhood]

We studied the effects of the intermittent methylprednisolone pulse (IMP) therapy without the maintenance steroid therapy for 6 children with myasthenia gravis; 3 cases with generalized type and 3 with ocular type. None of them was controlled satisfactorily by oral steroid therapy or anti-choline esterase agents. Two cases with generalized type and the other two with ocular type achieved remission by the initial pulse therapy, and were kept under good control by subsequent IMP therapy performed periodically or at the time of relapse. The other two cases could not be introduced to complete remission by the initial pulse therapy, but improved gradually by subsequent periodical IMP therapy. The IMP therapy without maintenance of oral steroid therapy is more useful as compared with oral administration of steroids, in controlling myasthenia gravis and also in preventing side effects due to steroid therapy.