The co-occurrence of serologically proven myasthenia gravis and Miller Fisher/Guillain Barré overlap syndrome — A case report

Abstract The co-occurrence of myasthenia gravis (MG) and Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS) is uncommon with a few reported cases in the literature. There is only one reported case of MG and Miller Fisher variant of GBS. We described an 84 year old Chinese woman with underlying seropositive myasthenia gr...

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Published in:Journal of the neurological sciences 2009-01, Vol.276 (1), p.187-188
Main Authors: Lau, Kwok Kwong, Goh, Khean Jin, Lee, Han Chih Hencher, Chan, Yuk Tat Eric, Tan, Chong Tin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged, 80 and over
Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody
Anti-GQ1b antibody
Antibodies - blood
Biological and medical sciences
Diseases of striated muscles. Neuromuscular diseases
Female
Gangliosides - immunology
Guillain-Barre Syndrome - complications
Guillain-Barre Syndrome - immunology
Humans
Medical sciences
Miller Fisher/Guillain Barré overlap syndrome
Myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia Gravis - complications
Myasthenia Gravis - immunology
Neurology
Serologic Tests - methods
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Summary:Abstract The co-occurrence of myasthenia gravis (MG) and Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS) is uncommon with a few reported cases in the literature. There is only one reported case of MG and Miller Fisher variant of GBS. We described an 84 year old Chinese woman with underlying seropositive myasthenia gravis (MG) who presented with ophthalmoplegia, areflexia and acute neuromuscular weakness. She was proved to have co-occurrence of MG and GBS/Miller Fisher overlap syndrome with positive anti-GQ1b antibody. The unusual finding in this patient raises an interesting question on their pathogenesis with the possibility that prior activation of the immune system may predispose the development of autoantibodies against other antigens within the same set of muscles.
ISSN:0022-510X
1878-5883
DOI:10.1016/j.jns.2008.08.019