All issues > Volume 28(2); 1985

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1985;28(2):154-159. Published online February 28, 1985.

A clinical study on Myasthenia gravis in childhood.

Yong Seung Hwang, Hyo Seop Ahn, Sang Hyup Kim

¹Department of Pediatrics,College of Medicine,Seoul National University

Abstract

Twenty-six cases of myasthenia gravis (MG) in childhood who were diagnosed and treated in the Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital from January 1976 till October 1984 were reviewed clinically. Mean age of onset of MG was 5.4+3.6 years of age with the peak incidence at 2 years of age. Sexual difference was negligible as male to female ratio was 1.36 : 1. The most common initial clinical manifestation was ptosis noted in all cases, followed by external ophthalmoplegia in 34.6% of cases, weakness of legs in 19.2% and diplopia, dysphonia, weakness of arms in 15.4% respectively. According to the classification of MG by Osserman, ocular MG group I , was 18 cases (69%). There was no case associated with thymoma or other disease. Only anticholinesterase therapy were tried in 23 cases with improvement in 21 patient. Among them, five cases were in state of complete remission without drugs and nine cases were in remission with drugs. These findings suggest that MG in childhood has lower age of onset, is mostly ocular type and responds well to anticholinesterase therapy alone.

Keywords :Myasthenia gravis