Myasthenia gravis, thymoma, and intestinal pseudo-obstruction: a case report and review

J Clin Neuromuscul Dis. 2003 Dec;5(2):93-5. doi: 10.1097/00131402-200312000-00004.

Abstract

We report a 28-year-old man who presented with intestinal pseudo-obstruction as the initial manifestation of thymoma, myasthenia gravis, and dysautonomia. The patient's autoantibody profile was characteristic of this constellation of disorders, being positive for both muscle and ganglionic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antibodies and striational antibody. Inflammatory cell infiltrates were found in the myenteric plexus of the stomach and small intestine. Review of 12 previously reported cases suggests that patients with both myasthenia gravis and dysautonomia in the context of thymoma respond poorly to therapy.