Linked Life Data

9491902

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/9491902

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-6-30
pubmed:abstractText
In this study we introduce a new combination treatment of plasma exchange (PE) and high daily doses of prednisone for severe forms of myasthenia gravis (MG). The clinical efficacy of the combined therapy has been tested in 18 patients suffering from severe forms of MG. The protocol included 5 sessions of PE, performed in a range of 15 days, 1 session every 3 days, with concurrent administration of oral prednisone (1 mg/kg of body weight), starting at the first session of PE and given daily for at least 3 months. At the end of the entire cycle of PE, almost complete recovery (more than 90% of the initial clinical score) was obtained in 8 of 18 patients while an improvement between 60 and 90% of the initial score was achieved in 9 of 18 patients. An early improvement was noted 24 h after the beginning of plasmapheresis in 11 of 18 patients. No recurrence of symptoms was reported after 36 months of follow-up for 17 patients. The administration of steroid therapy was never followed by an early exacerbation of myasthenic symptoms as reported when it is administered in the absence of concomitant PE. According to our results, we can conclude that high doses of oral prednisone therapy in simultaneous association with PE lead to successful control of severe forms of MG, significantly superior to the therapeutic strategies until now adopted and reported in literature.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Feb
pubmed:issn
0160-564X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
22
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
129-34
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Plasmapheresis in severe forms of myasthenia gravis.
pubmed:affiliation
Clinica Chirurgica, Università Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Clinical Trial