Ephedrine treatment for autoimmune myasthenia gravis
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Accepted version
OA Location
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We studied the effect and safety of ephedrine as add-on treatment for patients with myasthenia gravis with acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChR MG), who do not sufficiently respond to standard treatment. Four patients with AChR MG were included in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, and randomised, multiple crossover series of n-of-1 trials. Each n-of-1 trial consisted of 3 cycles, in which two 5-day intervention periods were followed by 2 days washout. In each cycle, ephedrine 50 mg daily in 2 doses was compared with placebo in the alternate treatment period. Primary outcome was a change in QMG score. Add-on treatment with ephedrine compared with placebo improved QMG score by 1.0 point (95% confidence interval 0.21–1.79), which was significant for the group of trial patients as well as for the population treatment effect. Ephedrine also showed a significant trial average treatment effect for all secondary outcomes, improving MG Composite by 2.7, MG-ADL by 1.0 and VAS score for muscle strength by 1.1. Adverse events were mild and included palpitations, tremor and restlessness. Although all ECGs were normal, ephedrine prolonged the corrected QT interval. Ephedrine as add-on treatment for myasthenia gravis resulted in a small but consistent reduction of symptoms and weakness in patients with moderate disease severity.
Date Issued
2017-03-01
Date Acceptance
2016-11-14
Citation
Neuromuscular Disorders, 2017, 27 (3), pp.259-265
ISSN
0960-8966
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
259
End Page
265
Journal / Book Title
Neuromuscular Disorders
Volume
27
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000397372800007&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Clinical Neurology
Neurosciences
Neurosciences & Neurology
Myasthenia gravis
Add-on therapy
Ephedrine
n-of-1 trial
Randomised controlled trial
NEUROMUSCULAR-TRANSMISSION
RECEPTOR SUBTYPES
CONTROLLED TRIAL
RECOMMENDATIONS
CYCLOSPORINE
ALKALOIDS
THERAPY
CHANNEL
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2016-11-18