Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Case Report

A case of Miller Fisher syndrome with a false-positive edrophonium test

Kosuke Yonemoto, M.D.1), Shunichi Nomura, M.D.1), Ai Shimizu, M.D.2), Kenichi Sakajiri, M.D., Ph.D.1) and Eishun Nitta, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1)Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Kanazawa Medical Center
2)Department of Neurology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine

A 69-year-old woman presented with acute bilateral ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and hyporeflexia in the extremities following an antecedent upper respiratory infection. We suspected that she had Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) and performed an edrophonium test (ET) to rule out myasthenia gravis (MG). Edrophonium chloride improved the patientfs bilateral ptosis, but not her ophthalmoplegia. Given the absence of the waning phenomenon on electrophysiological examination, the anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody, and a diurnal variation of symptoms, we concluded that the ET result was a false-positive. A diagnosis of MFS was confirmed by the presence of a positive anti-GQ1b antibody. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of MFS with a false-positive ET.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (437K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 59: 345|348, 2019)
key words: Miller Fisher syndrome, edrophonium test, false-positive, anti-GQ1b antibody

(Received: 4-Oct-18)