ABSTRACT
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease. In up to 90% of generalized cases, autoantibodies to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor which mediate the neuromuscular transmission disorders are detectable. The disease is characterized by weakness and fatigability of voluntary muscle changing over shorter or longer periods. Acute exacerbations are life-threatening because of swallowing difficulties or respiratory failure. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was used as early as 1984 for the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG). The improvement rate achieved by IVIG in MG calculated in two reviews of previously published uncontrolled studies was 73 and 76%, respectively1,2. However, the methodological qualities of these studies leave many unanswered questions:
(1) Is IVIG as efficient for the treatment of MG exacerbation as other treatments (i.e. plasma exchange, steroids, etc.)?
