MYASTHENIA-GRAVIS WITH ALOPECIA TOTALIS

Myasthenia gravis was diagnosed on the basis of a positive Tensilon te st in a 4-year-old male child with alopecia totalis. His scalp hair an d eyebrows had began to disappear at the age of 10 months. No other ph ysical abnormalities such as motor paralysis, were seen except for lef t ptosis and alopecia totalis. His serum titer of anti-acetylcholine r eceptor antibody was elevated. No immune system abnormalities (C3, C4, CH50, C-reactive protein, antinuclear antibody or lymphocyte function disorders) were detected. Although alopecia areata and alopecia total is are sometimes present in adults with autoimmune diseases and myasth enia gravis, this association is rare in children. The present case re presents the youngest patient with myasthenia gravis associated with a lopecia totalis.