Tacrolimus Improves Symptoms of Children With Myasthenia Gravis Refractory to Prednisone

Pediatric Neurology
Chanchan LiuBitao Bu

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis tends to affect children in China. Oral pyridostigmine and prednisone could effectively improve the symptoms, but multiple side effects become a major concern after long-term oral prednisone. To avoid the long-term complications of prednisone therapy and to obtain more satisfactory improvement, we tested the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus in children with myasthenia gravis. Children with myasthenia gravis who had not achieved satisfactory improvement or who experienced severe side effects after prednisone therapy were recruited between January 2015 and December 2016 at Tongji Hospital. All the children were treated with tacrolimus 1 mg to 2 mg daily and the dose was adjusted on the basis of the clinical response and the serum concentration. The dosage of prednisone, the severity of symptoms, blood samples, the serum concentration of tacrolimus, and titers of antiacetylcholine receptor antibodies were evaluated every four weeks. Fourteen children were enrolled. One child withdrew two weeks after the enrollment. Thirteen children have completed the therapy for one year. At the end point, the dosage of prednisone was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), the symptoms were evaluated by the quantitative myasthenia...Continue Reading

Citations

Sep 29, 2019·Current Treatment Options in Neurology·Kristen Fisher, Veeral Shah
Aug 15, 2020·Frontiers in Neurology·Karen O'ConnellJacqueline Palace
Dec 14, 2018·Frontiers in Neurology·Yue LiBitao Bu
Jan 7, 2022·Muscle & Nerve·Srikanth MuppidiGlenn A Phillips

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