Mitochondrial dysfunction in myasthenia gravis: report of a case

The case of an 11-year-old boy with external ophtalmoparesia, tetraparesia and bilateral eyelid ptosis is reported. He was 7-years-old when first symptoms appeared. Anticholinesterasic drugs were used. He was submitted to muscle biopsy. The results of histochemistry analysis showed storage of granulous material at the subsarcolemmal region of muscle fibers by SDH. Increase in the number of mitochondria with electron dense bodies was found at electron microscopy. Anticholinesterasic drugs administration was interrupted and consequently he got worse, and bouts of dyspnea occurred. Due to this worsening anticholinesterasic agents were reintroduced together with prednisone, and he improved. Due to clinical and histological expressions we think it is possible that morphological mitochondrial alterations may occur also in myasthenia gravis.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marchiori,Paulo E., Levy,J. A., Lusvarghi,Mary S. Carvalho-Alegro E. S., Tsanaclis,Ana M., Assis,J. Lamartine de, Scaff,M.
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO 1989
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X1989000300018
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