Treatment of myasthenia gravis: an audit

Abstract

Although treatment of myasthenia gravis with anticholinesterase drugs and thymectomy was based on wrong models of pathogenesis the resulting saving of life has not been improved by immunosuppressive treatment based on a current autoimmune model. Immunosuppression with steroids or azathioprine may reduce morbidity but as these drugs can rarely be withdrawn without causing relapse, the long-term hazards are serious, including increased mortality.