Steroid safety in MG treatment

1 October 2019 | Fiona Rowe (Prof) | EYE - Paediatrics, EYE - Strabismus

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low to moderate dose oral steroids in patients diagnosed with ocular myasthenia gravis (MG). This was a retrospective case series. The study reviewed 23 patients; 15 males and eight females. Four had ptosis with positive ice test results. Clinical symptoms included diplopia (22), ptosis (five), and diplopia and ptosis (two). Methylprednisolone therapy was given to 29 patients as an initial treatment. Six were lost to follow-up. Nineteen were treated successfully with steroids and four remained symptomatic. Treatment response of steroids was 82.8% at eight weeks. After treatment completion, four had recurrence over follow-up at a mean of nine months. Eight had adverse events with steroids but none were serious. The results confirm therapeutic effect of using low to moderate dose steroids as a primary treatment for ocular MG rather than using a cholinesterase inhibitor.