Myasthenia gravis and alopecia areata

Neurology. 1997 Mar;48(3):774-5. doi: 10.1212/wnl.48.3.774.

Abstract

Of 202 patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), 6 (3%) developed alopecia areata. All six patients had a thymoma verified by pathology; the frequency of alopecia areata rose to 17% of 35 MG patients with a thymoma. In one patient who had no recognizable tumor in the mediastinum, an ectopic thymoma was present in the anterior neck.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alopecia Areata / etiology*
  • Alopecia Areata / prevention & control
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / complications*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / therapy
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Recurrence
  • Remission Induction
  • Remission, Spontaneous
  • Thymectomy
  • Thymoma / complications
  • Thymoma / diagnosis
  • Thymus Neoplasms / complications
  • Thymus Neoplasms / diagnosis

Substances

  • Prednisolone