Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Case Report

Eclizumab in the treatment of myasthenia gravis crisis complicating invasive thymoma:
a case study of efficacy

Kazuki Yoshizumi, M.D.1), Takashi Kimura, M.D., Ph.D.1), Shinichiro Ukon, M.D., Ph.D.1), Shohei Watanabe, M.D., Ph.D.1), Shuhei Kasama, M.D., Ph.D.1) and Masanaka Takeda, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1) Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Neurology, Hyogo College of Medicine

A 40-year-old male patient was diagnosed with invasive thymoma and myasthenia gravis in 2015. In 2016 and 2017, he experienced myasthenic crises, with an increase in size of invasive thymoma. In 2018, he received chemotherapy for the invasive thymoma. After 2 months, his symptoms rapidly progressed to myasthenic crisis with severe bulbar and respiratory symptoms, despite the significant effect of chemotherapy for the thymoma. High-dose corticosteroid, multiple plasma exchanges, and intravenous immunoglobulin did not improve the symptoms. Thus, eculizumab was administered, resulting in an improvement in his conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that eculizumab may improve myasthenic crisis with invasive thymoma.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (830K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 60: 865|868, 2020)
key words: myasthenia gravis, invasive thymoma, crisis, eculizumab

(Received: 22-May-20)