Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Case Report

Anti-striational antibodies detected in a patient with late-onset myasthenia gravis suffering from severe bradycardia: a case report

Rina Fujita, M.D.1), Shun Matoba, M.D.1), Hirokazu Morihata, M.D., Ph.D.1) and Manabu Inoue, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1) Department of Neurology, Osaka City General Hospital

We report herein the case of a 79-year-old woman who experienced difficulties in swallowing, dysarthria, dropped head, and muscle weakness associated with diurnal and day-to-day variation. We made a diagnosis of generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed no sign of thymoma. As the MG worsened, the patient presented with severe bradycardia. Chest compressions were performed on days 6 and 7 after admission and she underwent implantation of a temporary pacemaker. The arrhythmia resolved after strong immunosuppressive treatment, and anti-striational antibodies, including anti-muscular voltagegated potassium channel-complex (Kv1.4) antibody and anti-titin antibody, were subsequently detected. This case implies the possible involvement of anti-striational antibodies in bradycardia.
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(CLINICA NEUROL, 61: 543|546, 2021)
key words: myasthenia gravis, thymoma, anti-striational antibodies, arrhythmia

(Received: 25-Jan-21)