Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Case Report

Thymoma-associated generalized myasthenia gravis complicated with anti-VGKC complex antibody-associated limbic encephalitis: a case report

Ryoji Naganuma, M.D., Ph.D.1), Itaru Amino, M.D.1), Yusei Miyazaki, M.D., Ph.D.1), Sachiko Akimoto, M.D., Ph.D.1), Masaaki Niino, M.D., Ph.D.2), Naoya Minami, M.D., Ph.D.1), Naotake Honma, M.D., Ph.D.,3) and Seiji Kikuchi, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1) Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Medical Center
2) Department of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Medical Center
3) Department of Respiratory Surgery, National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Medical Center

We present a case of a 54-year-old woman. She was attending our department for thymoma-associated generalized myasthenia gravis. While she was treated with intravenous immunoglobulins for the exacerbation of myasthenic symptoms, she suddenly lost her consciousness for the first time and continued to have mild disorientation along with anterograde and retrograde amnesia afterwards. The symptoms improved after steroid pulse therapy. After searching for autoantibodies, she was diagnosed with anti-VGKC complex antibody-associated limbic encephalitis. As one-third of cases are complicated by thymoma, anti-VGKC complex antibody-positive limbic encephalitis has the aspect of a paraneoplastic neurological syndrome. In this case, masses suspected to be a recurrence of thymoma were found. In cases of thymoma, involvement of anti-VGKC complex antibodies should be considered when central nervous system symptoms appear, and when anti-VGKC complex antibodies are positive, recurrence or exacerbation of thymoma should be considered.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (2676K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 63: 754|759, 2023)
key words: anti-VGKC complex antibody, limbic encephalitis, thymoma, myasthenia gravis

(Received: 15-Jun-23)