Clinical Study of Protein A Immunoadsorption in Treatment of Myasthenia Gravis

[Objective]To evaluate the efficacy of protein A immunoadsorption on myasthenia gravis. [Methods]By case-control study, twenty four cases of diagnosed myasthenia gravis were divided into two groups: the treatment group(n=12) and the control group (n=12). The patients of the treatment group received protein A immunoadsoption based on tradition treatment three times per week for four weeks. The control groups only received tradition treatment. Blood IgG、IgA and IgM and complement of C3 and C4 and antibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR-Ab) were determined before and after the treatment. The efficacy of protein A immunoadsorption on patients of myasthenia gravis was evaluated by physical examination for absolute clinical score. [Results]In the treatment group, a total effective rate was 91.67%, and complete recovery, basic recovery, improvement, response and no response were achieved in 5,2,3,1 and 1 patients, respectively. In the control group, a total effective rate was 91.67%, and complete recovery, basic recovery, improvement, response and no response were achieved in 2,2,2,3 and 3 patients, respectively. There was significant difference between two groups (P0.05). The descent degree of blood IgG、IgA and IgM and AChR-Ab showed significant differences between two groups(P0.01). [Conclusion]Protein A immunoadsorption can significantly lower blood IgG、IgA and IgM and antibodies AChR-Ab levels in the patients of myasthenia gravis and shorten the course of disease. It is more effective for myasthenia gravis than only drug treatment.