Multiple Sclerosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Multiple Sclerosis, including details on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, prognosis.

Interferon causes no myasthenia in a seropositive patient with multiple sclerosis.

Shimizu H, Kataoka H, Kawahara M, Hirano M, Furiya Y, Ueno S

Department of Neurology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8522, Japan.

We describe a successful outcome of long-term interferon beta-1b therapy in a patient who had multiple sclerosis (MS) with positive serum autoantibody to muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR-Ab). Because of the reported possible causative linkage between interferon beta-1b and myasthenia gravis (MG), the presence of the pathogenic antibody complicated therapeutic strategies. We carefully observed the patient for further 6 months before the treatment, excluding symptomatic MG. The interferon beta-1b therapy then provided a clinical benefit. Hopefully this report will allow MS patients in similar situations to make more rapid, unprejudiced judgments than our patients.

Published 20 February 2007 in Clin Neurol Neurosurg, 109(3): 277-8.
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