An ocular form of myasthenia gravis with a high titer of anti-MuSK antibodies during a long-term follow-up

Intern Med. 2012;51(21):3077-9. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.51.8196. Epub 2012 Nov 1.

Abstract

We herein report a case of ocular myasthenia gravis (MG) that was highly positive for anti-muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies. The examined patient exhibited bilateral ptosis and lateral gaze palsy without any generalized symptoms and was diagnosed with ocular MG with anti-MuSK antibodies. She responded to treatment with prednisolone and immunosuppressants and experienced only ocular symptoms for four years and eight months after onset. Ocular MG with anti-MuSK antibodies lasting for a long term has rarely been described. Our findings suggest that it may be reasonable to test for the presence of anti-MuSK antibodies in patients who present with external ophthalmoplegia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Eye Diseases / complications
  • Eye Diseases / diagnosis
  • Eye Diseases / enzymology
  • Eye Diseases / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Myasthenia Gravis / complications
  • Myasthenia Gravis / diagnosis
  • Myasthenia Gravis / enzymology
  • Myasthenia Gravis / immunology*
  • Ophthalmoplegia / etiology
  • Ophthalmoplegia / immunology
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / immunology*
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / immunology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Receptors, Cholinergic
  • MUSK protein, human
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases