PLASMAPHERESIS AND SPECIFIC IMMUNOADSORPTION IN THE TREATMENT OF MYASTHENIA GRAVIS

SUMMARY · Myasthenia gravis is an antibody-mediated autoimmune disease in which circulating acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies have been identified that bind to the receptor sites in vol-untary muscles, thereby damaging and blocking the receptors. Selective removal of the blocking antibody by plasmapheresis or specific immunoadsorption provides important methods in the treat-ment of patients with myasthenia gravis. Novel immunoadsorbent columns have been developed especially for the treatment of patients with myasthenia gravis, using a specific affinity ligand (Tor-pedo 183-200, a synthetic peptide) to remove the blocking antibody. This immunoadsorbent pro-duced specific removal of the blocking antibody without reducing other plasma proteins. Clinical improvement was observed in 78 % of myasthenia gravis patients. There were no adverse effects. Key words: Myasthenia gravis, therapy; Plasmapheresis