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Menghesha H, Schroeter M, Nelke C, Ruck T, Schlachtenberger G, Welskop C, Camo A, Heldwein M, Bennink G, Wahlers T, Bölükbas S, Doerr F, Hekmat K. The impact of thymectomy in subgroups of Myasthenia gravis patients: a single center longitudinal observation. Neurol Res Pract 2023; 5:24. [PMID: 37316910 DOI: 10.1186/s42466-023-00252-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare neuromuscular disorder. Symptoms can range from ptosis only to life threatening myasthenic crisis. Thymectomy is recommended for anti-acetylcholine receptor-antibody positive patients with early-onset MG. Here, we investigated prognostic factors shaping therapeutic outcomes of thymectomy to improve patient stratification. METHODS We retrospectively collected single-center data from a specialized center for MG from all consecutive adult patients that underwent thymectomy from 01/2012 to 12/2020. We selected patients with thymoma-associated and non-thymomatous MG for further investigations. We analyzed the patient collective regarding perioperative parameters in relation to the surgical approach. Furthermore, we investigated the dynamics of the anti-acetylcholine receptor-antibody titers and concurrent immunosuppressive therapies, as well as the therapeutic outcomes in dependence of clinical classifications. RESULTS Of 137 patients 94 were included for further analysis. We used a minimally invasive approach in 73 patients, whereas 21 patients underwent sternotomy. A total of 45 patients were classified as early-onset MG (EOMG), 28 as late-onset MG (LOMG) and 21 as thymoma-associated MG (TAMG). The groups differed in terms of age at diagnosis (EOMG: 31.1 ± 12.2 years; LOMG: 59.8 ± 13.7 years; TAMG: 58.6 ± 16.7 years; p < 0.001). Patients with EOMG and TAMG were more often female than patients in the LOMG group (EOMG: 75.6%; LOMG: 42.9%; TAMG: 61.9%; p = 0.018). There were no significant differences in outcome scores (quantitative MG; MG activities of daily living; MG Quality of Live) with a median follow-up of 46 months. However, Complete Stable Remission was achieved significantly more frequently in the EOMG group than in the other two groups (p = 0.031). At the same time, symptoms seem to improve similarly in all three groups (p = 0.25). CONCLUSION Our study confirms the benefit of thymectomy in the therapy of MG. Both, the concentration of acetylcholine receptor antibodies and the necessary dosage of cortisone therapy show a continuous regression after thymectomy in the overall cohort. Beyond EOMG, groups of LOMG and thymomatous MG responded to thymectomy as well, but therapy success was less pronounced and delayed compared to the EOMG subgroup. Thymectomy is a mainstay of MG therapy to be considered in all subgroups of MG patients investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hruy Menghesha
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Essen - Ruhrlandclinic, Tüschener Weg 40, 45239, Essen, Germany.
| | - Michael Schroeter
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christopher Nelke
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Tobias Ruck
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Georg Schlachtenberger
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Clara Welskop
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 20, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Amina Camo
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 20, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Heldwein
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gerardus Bennink
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thorsten Wahlers
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
| | - Servet Bölükbas
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Essen - Ruhrlandclinic, Tüschener Weg 40, 45239, Essen, Germany
| | - Fabian Doerr
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Essen - Ruhrlandclinic, Tüschener Weg 40, 45239, Essen, Germany
| | - Khosro Hekmat
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany
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