![]() ![]() Current treatment options include acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, short-term immune therapies (plasmapheresis or intravenous immunoglobulin), and long-term treatment with corticosteroids and classic immunosuppressive agents, namely azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil and cyclosporine, among others. The goal of MG treatment is to induce and then maintain disease remission. 1,2 Even with 4 antibodies identified, a small proportion of patients remain seronegative. Recently a new epitope antibody was identified in patients with MG, Anti-agrin. The clinical phenotype of anti-MuSK is associated with a poorer response to standard therapies compared to AChR-positive patients, whilst the LRP4 subset resembles closely that of anti-AChR-positive MG. MuSK and LRP4 are not directly involved in the neuromuscular transmission, but in the end-plate maturation. In some patients with a generalized form of MG, antibodies against low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4) may be present. About 40% of the remainder AchR-negative patients have Abs directed against the muscle-specific tyrosine-kinase (MuSK). The most important membrane antigen is the muscle acetylcholine receptor (AchR) as AchR-Abs are present in the serum of 85–90% MG patients. Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune disorder affecting the neuromuscular junction caused by antibodies (Abs) against postsynaptic membrane proteins, thus preventing an effective neurotransmission at the synaptic terminal. Its use is associated with a decrease in the need for other immunosuppressive treatments whilst improving quality of life and reducing health costs. Rituximab is a clinical effective treatment for B cell-related diseases like MG and seems to be a cost–saving intervention. An overall decrease in healthcare costs after treatment was observed along with an evident clinical improvement. Rituximab use lead to the reduction of relapses and to a lesser use of immunosuppressive agents. Health care costs were estimated based on the average of each treatment and daily charge of hospitalization. Clinical charts were reviewed and scales for assessment of quality of life were applied. ![]() MethodsĪ retrospective analysis of Myasthenia Gravis patients treated with Rituximab was performed. We evaluate the potential pharmacoeconomic and quality of life benefits of its use. Rituximab has shown efficacy in refractory and severe Myasthenia Gravis. Its treatment is based on immunosuppressive agents. Myasthenia Gravis is a humoral autoimmune disorder affecting the neuromuscular junction. If you believe in a free and open scientific community and want to take your work one step further and closer to your peers, please consider submitting your work to Porto Biomedical Journal, the place "where Science meets Knowledge". In addition, to ensure the quality and scientific relevance of PBJ, the journal counts with a diversified and international editorial board, and only accepts original research and review articles that undergo a strict revision process in a double-blind refereeing system, a procedure that safeguards the fairness of the article selection process.Īs a generalist journal, PBJ accepts both original works and reviews in all biomedical areas, be they basic or clinical research. The project aims to provide a valuable collection of generalist biomedical literature freely accessible to the international community, in order to become a reference in the current scientific landscape. PBJ) is an online free-to-submit and open-access journal devoted to the publication of top quality original research conducted in the biomedical fields, especially within the clinical and basic medical settings.
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