Myasthenia Gravis after Bone-Marrow Transplantation

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease. The electromyographic pattern, a positive response to cholinesterase inhibitors, and the presence of antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor are typical findings in myasthenic patients. Other factors, including age of onset, sex, thymic disease, and HLA and Gm allotypes,1 2 3 4 5 may be of prognostic value. As in most autoimmune disorders, the cause of the disease remains unknown. In this report we describe a patient with aplastic anemia treated with bone-marrow transplantation in whom graft-versus-host disease and subsequently myasthenia gravis developed. Chromosomal studies suggested that the myasthenia was of donor origin. Acetylcholine-receptor antibodies were detected two . . .