Primary progressive multiple sclerosis and generalized myasthenia gravis: an uncommon association

The co-occurrence of myasthenia gravis (MG) and multiple sclerosis (MS) is rare, and in all the described cases MS had a relapsing-remitting course and the diseases had a benign clinical evolution. We describe herewith a patient with primary progressive MS (PPMS) and generalized MG with severe clini...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurological sciences 2010-12, Vol.31 (6), p.833-836
Main Authors: Bigliardi, G., Mandrioli, J., Valzania, F., Nichelli, P., Casula, N., Simone, A. M., Sola, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Case Report
Comorbidity
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Middle Aged
Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive - complications
Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive - diagnosis
Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive - immunology
Myasthenia Gravis - complications
Myasthenia Gravis - diagnosis
Myasthenia Gravis - immunology
Neurology
Neuroradiology
Neurosciences
Neurosurgery
Psychiatry
Severity of Illness Index
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The co-occurrence of myasthenia gravis (MG) and multiple sclerosis (MS) is rare, and in all the described cases MS had a relapsing-remitting course and the diseases had a benign clinical evolution. We describe herewith a patient with primary progressive MS (PPMS) and generalized MG with severe clinical course. This is the first report on a case of PPMS associated to MG. Studies on the histology and pathogenesis show that neurodegeneration is predominant over inflammation in PPMS, even if cellular and humoral immune-mediated mechanisms are thought to maintain a crucial importance in the development and progression of this form of disease. In the present case, the detection of cerebrospinal fluid IgM oligoclonal bands support the hypothesis of a possible role of antibody-mediated immunity in PPMS and suggest that humoral immunity may take part in the concomitant development of both MS and MG.
ISSN:1590-1874
1590-3478
DOI:10.1007/s10072-010-0358-6