Abstract
Thymectomy has been regularly used in the management of nonthymomatous autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG), but its benefits have not been established in a randomized, controlled trial. The widespread use of thymectomy in MG patients without thymoma is largely based on retrospective, nonrandomized case series that have produced a consensus that the procedure is sometimes beneficial. Still, the benefits and utilization of thymectomy are actively debated among MG experts. In this paper, we describe the development of a multicenter, international trial to determine whether extended transsternal thymectomy reduces corticosteroid requirements for patients with generalized AChR antibody-positive nonthymomatous MG.
Publication types
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Clinical Trial
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Comparative Study
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Controlled Clinical Trial
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Multicenter Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adolescent
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Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
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Adult
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Age of Onset
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Humans
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Immunosuppression Therapy / methods*
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Immunosuppressive Agents
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Middle Aged
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Myasthenia Gravis / blood
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Myasthenia Gravis / complications
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Myasthenia Gravis / immunology
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Myasthenia Gravis / therapy*
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Patient Selection
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Prognosis
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Receptors, Cholinergic / immunology
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Retrospective Studies
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Severity of Illness Index
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Single-Blind Method
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Thymectomy / methods*
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Thymoma / blood
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Thymoma / complications
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Thymoma / surgery*
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Thymus Neoplasms / blood
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Thymus Neoplasms / complications
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Thymus Neoplasms / surgery*
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Time Factors
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Adrenal Cortex Hormones
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Immunosuppressive Agents
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Receptors, Cholinergic