Elsevier, Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 1-2(287), p. 105-107, 2009
DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2009.08.040
Elsevier, Year Book of Ophthalmology, (2010), p. 193
DOI: 10.1016/s0084-392x(10)79313-8
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We describe 2 patients who developed anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica (NMO) following the development of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (MG). A literature review of 13 similar cases in addition to the present 2 cases of NMO with MG showed predominance among Asian women and frequent development of NMO following thymectomy for MG. Moreover, in one of our patients, serial assays of anti-aquaporin-4 antibody and anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody were performed. Accumulating evidence for the coexistence of NMO and MG suggests that a common immunopathogenesis of NMO and MG may exist, and the association of NMO with MG may be more frequent than hitherto believed.