Shifting of the blood T:B lymphocyte ratio in myasthenia gravis patients after thymectomy

Neurology. 1977 Jul;27(7):642-5. doi: 10.1212/wnl.27.7.642.

Abstract

The immunologic role of thymus in human adults is still unclear, in a high percentage of patients with myasthenia gravis, improvement of the disease follows thymectomy. The biologic basis of this phenomenon is also unknown. We found that patients thymectomized for more than 9 months have a low percentage of T cells (mean 34 percent). The mean T cell percentage in control myasthenia gravis patients is 52 percent. Patients thymectomized for more than 18 and 24 months exhibit values of T cell percentage not lower than those of patients thymectomized for more than 9 months. Our results may be interpreted according to a humoral action of the thymus in regulating the percentage of T lymphocytes.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Cell Count
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / immunology*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / surgery
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Thymectomy*
  • Time Factors