What “Childhood Myasthenia Gravis Study Group in Japan” aimed

AbstractA Japanese epidemiological study about the age of onset of myasthenia gravis (MG) shows the highest peak at ages younger than 5 years old besides the peak observed in the adult, which was confirmed in east Asian people such as Korea, China, Hongkong, and is different from that observed in Caucasians.The Childhood MG Study Group in Japan has held an annual workshop for 12 years (from 2006 to 2017), in which the participants debate and obtain information about the clinical problems and related basic sciences of childhood MG.This workshop features two kinds of presentations: research and clinical experiences. For the case presentation, 42 cases were reported, of which 14 were ocular MG and 28 were generalised MG, including 9 cases of latent generalised MG. Seronegative MG was reported in 8 cases, muscle ‐specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK)‐positive MG in 1 case, congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) in 4 cases. Treatments of MG patients were various; tacrolimus was used in 23 cases, cyclosporine in 2, high dose of gamma‐globulin in 13, and thymectomy in 10. For the research presentation, various points of view were reported about the pathogenetic mechanism or treatment by top neurologists and scientists in Japan.This workshop will contribute to continued efforts of the clinician to treat the patients and the researchers for further progress in their studies.
Source: Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: REVIEW ARTICLE Source Type: research