Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
9
pubmed:dateCreated
1997-12-18
pubmed:abstractText
We evaluated cyclosporine A (CsA) treatment in 9 patients (6 female and 3 male), 16-63 years old, with severe myasthenia gravis (MG) for a mean period of 2 years (range 16-36 months). All of the patients had been previously treated either with corticosteroids or by combined immunotherapy, and 5 needed periodic plasma exchanges. The reduction of plasmapheresis cycles in the 5 patients who needed periodic plasma exchange to maintain an acceptable quality of life showed an impressive cost-benefit analysis. During CsA treatment 7 of 9 patients improved their muscle strength and functional score. In all the patients except one the corticosteroid dosage was reduced and in 7 of the 9 patients the dose reduction was over 50% with subsequent reduction of the corticosteroid side effects. The findings showed that initiation of CsA treatment increased muscle strength and reduced corticosteroid dosage. The most common CsA side effects were: a serum creatinine increase that occurred in the first 6-12 months of therapy in 8 patients, other side effects like hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia were present in four patients. Blood pressure increase was found in only one patient. CsA treatment may be a valuable and cost effective treatment in severe MG.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
0340-5354
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
244
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
542-7
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1997
pubmed:articleTitle
Long-term cyclosporine treatment in a group of severe myasthenia gravis patients.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't