Myasthenia gravis muscle antibodies examined by ELISA: IgG and IgM antibodies characterize different patient subgroups

Acta Neurol Scand. 1992 Apr;85(4):233-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1992.tb04037.x.

Abstract

Sera from 90 myasthenia gravis (MG) patients were examined for antibodies against skeletal muscle citric acid extract (CA) antigens by ELISA and indirect haemagglutination (IHA). 31% (ELISA) and 24% (IHA) of the sera were positive, and the results of the two tests were in good agreement. 18 of 28 patients positive in ELISA had IgG CA-antibodies, 10 had IgM and 3 IgA CA-antibodies. The patients with IgG antibodies had a high mean age of MG disease onset, and 9/14 thymectomized patients had a thymoma. Patients with IgM CA-antibodies had a much lower age of onset and 4/5 thymectomized patients had thymus hyperplasia. IgM antibody positive patients had a long disease duration, indicating that they produce IgM antibodies for an indefinite period of time without switching to IgG antibody production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Atrophy
  • Autoantibodies / analysis*
  • Child
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis*
  • Immunoglobulin M / analysis*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle Proteins / immunology*
  • Muscles / immunology*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / diagnosis
  • Myasthenia Gravis / immunology*
  • Thymoma / diagnosis
  • Thymoma / immunology
  • Thymus Gland / pathology
  • Thymus Hyperplasia / diagnosis
  • Thymus Hyperplasia / immunology
  • Thymus Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Thymus Neoplasms / immunology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Muscle Proteins