Ricerc@Sapienza

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether sustained minimal manifestation status (MMS) with complete withdrawal of prednisone is better achieved in thymectomized patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS: This study is a post hoc analysis of data from a randomized trial of thymectomy in MG (Thymectomy Trial in Non-Thymomatous Myasthenia Gravis Patients Receiving Prednisone Therapy [MGTX]). MGTX was a multicenter, randomized, rater-blinded 3-year trial that was followed by a voluntary 2-year extension for patients with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive MG without thymoma.

Background: The relative prevalence of myasthenia gravis (MG) subtypes is changing, and their differential features and association with HLA class II alleles are not completely understood. Methods: Age at onset, presence/absence of autoantibodies (Ab) and thymoma were retrospectively considered in 230 adult Italian patients. Clinical severity, assessed by MGFA scale, and the highest Ab titer were recorded. Furthermore, we performed low/high resolution typing of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles to detect associations of these loci with MG subtypes.

Objectives: To evaluate potential relationship between qualitative CT features, quantitative texture analysis (QTA), histology, WHO staging, Masaoka classification and myasthenic syndrome in patients with thymic tumors. Materials and methods: Sixteen patients affected by histologically proven thymic tumors were retrospectively included in the study population. Clinical information, with special regard to myasthenic syndrome and serological positivity of anti-AchR antibodies, were recorded.

In this study, we evaluated if surgical treatment and iterative operations could confer a survival advantage for patients with recurrent or repeated recurrences of thymoma.