LONG-TERM TREATMENT WITH 7S IMMUNOGLOBULI NS IN MYASTHENIA-GRAVIS - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

After initial high-dose intravenous 7S immunoglobulin therapy, six pat ients with seropositive myasthenia gravis received intermittent low-do se 7S immunoglobulins for at least 4-12 months. This treatment was sta rted in five cases following an acute exacerbation of myasthenic sympt oms (Oosterhuis class 3-4) and in one case because of marked clinical fluctuations (Oosterhuis class 3). In five of the six patients, there was a clinical response to the immunoglobulin therapy within 2 weeks, followed by marked long-standing improvement and stability of the clin ical outcome, In four cases a decrease in the titer of acetylcholine r eceptor antibodies was noted in parallel, Our observations suggest an additional positive therapeutic effect of long-term, low-dose intraven ous immunoglobulin therapy following the acute management of myastheni c exacerbations.