Hayashi T, Nakane S, Mukaino A, Higuchi O, Yamakawa M, Matsuo H, Kimura K. Effectiveness of treatment for 31 patients with seropositive autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy in Japan.
Ther Adv Neurol Disord 2022;
15:17562864221110048. [PMID:
35966941 PMCID:
PMC9364197 DOI:
10.1177/17562864221110048]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background:
Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG) is characterized by serum
autoantibodies against the ganglionic acetylcholine receptor (gAChR).
Immunomodulatory treatments may alleviate AAG symptoms, but the most
appropriate treatment strategy is unclear.
Objective:
This study aimed to confirm the effectiveness of treatments, particularly
immunotherapy, in patients with seropositive AAG in Japan, as well as to
determine the most effective treatment and the best assessment method for
clinical response to treatment.
Methods:
We collected data from a previous cohort study of patients with seropositive
AAG. The clinical autonomic and extra-autonomic symptoms were objectively
counted and subjectively assessed using the modified Composite Autonomic
Symptom Score. Post-treatment changes in the gAChR antibody level were
evaluated.
Results:
Thirty-one patients received immunotherapy. Among them, 19 patients received
intravenous methylprednisolone; 27, intravenous immunoglobulin; 3, plasma
exchange; 18, oral steroids; 2, tacrolimus; 1, cyclosporine; and 1,
mycophenolate mofetil. Patients who received immunotherapy showed
improvements in the total number of symptoms (from 6.2 ± 2.0 to 5.1 ± 2.0)
and modified Composite Autonomic Symptom Score (from 37.4 ± 15.3 to
26.6 ± 12.8). Orthostatic intolerance, sicca, and gastrointestinal symptoms
were ameliorated by immunotherapy. Immunotherapy decreased the antibody
levels (gAChRα3 antibodies, from 2.2 ± 0.4 to 1.9 ± 0.4,
p = 0.08; gAChRβ4 antibodies, from 1.6 ± 0.1 to 1.0 ± 0.2,
p = 0.002), but antibody levels increased in 10
patients despite immunotherapy. The rate of improvement in the total number
of symptoms was higher in patients with combined therapy than in patients
with non-combined therapy (70.7% vs 28.6%).
Conclusions:
The scores in many items on the rating scale decreased after immunotherapy in
patients with seropositive AAG, particularly in the combined immunotherapy
group. However, more accurate assessment scales for clinical symptoms and
multicenter randomized, placebo-controlled prospective studies are warranted
to establish future treatment strategies.
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