THE ASSOCIATION OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS AND MYASTHENIA-GRAVIS

Citation
G. Vaiopoulos et al., THE ASSOCIATION OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS AND MYASTHENIA-GRAVIS, Postgraduate medical journal, 70(828), 1994, pp. 741-745
Citations number
26
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, General & Internal
ISSN journal
00325473
Volume
70
Issue
828
Year of publication
1994
Pages
741 - 745
Database
ISI
SICI code
0032-5473(1994)70:828<741:TAOSLA>2.0.ZU;2-G
Abstract
Two women with the rare association of systemic lupus erythematosus (S LE) and myasthenia gravis (MG) are reported. The first patient develop ed SLE (arthritis, severe thrombocytopenia, and high titres of anti-DN A antibodies) 6 years following successful therapeutic thymectomy for MG. The second patient developed SLE (oral ulcers, arthritis, serositi s, leukopenia, high titres of anti-DNA and anti-nuclear antibodies) 4 years prior to the clinical and serological onset of MG. Lymphocyte su bsets and in vitro proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuc lear cells to mitogens were normal in both patients. A review of the l iterature revealed 26 additional patients with definite SLE coexisting with MG. Besides the theoretical interest of this association, the di fferential diagnosis of fatigue in patients with SLE should always inc lude the possibility of MG.