Clinical Manifestations, Accompanying Diseases, Complications, and Thymus Pathologies in 102 Patients with Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most common autoimmune neuromuscular disease that may occur in any age. Regard ing to the controversies about the epidemiology of MG and lack of sufficient data about MG status in Iran, the present study was per formed on patient s referred to Shafa hospi tal, in Kerman, between 1998-200 3 in order to determine cl inical manifestat ions, accompan ying diseases, comp lications, and thymus pathologies in patients with MG. Methods: It was a descriptive study including 102 patients with MG. Initial data about sex, age of disease ons et, disease severity according to Osserman class ification, respir atory crisis, thymus patho logy, and accompanying diseases were recorded . Chi- square and independ ent t-test were used for stat istic al analysis. Results: The study population included 69(68%) females and 33(32%) males. For patients aged 40 years, female to male (F/M ) ratio was 1:1. Disease mani festations were commenced before 20 and 40 years of old in 15.8% and 76.2% of patients respecti vely. Follicular hyperplasia of thymus was reported in 61.5%, whereas in 23% the pathology was normal or atrophy and in 15.4% was thymoma. Ocular involvement was found in 20.6% of patients. Based on Osser man classification, severity of IIA, lIB , II1 and IV were reported in 43 .1, 21.6, 10.8, and 3.9% of the subj ects, respec tively. Conclusion: F/M ratio , age of disease onset, patho logy of thymus, disease severity, and accompanying diseases have shown slight differences with prior studies. Epidemiological studies in other part s of the country are sugges ted.