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Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1982 Mar;45(3):217–222. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.45.3.217

Ventilatory failure in myasthenia gravis.

I T Ferguson, R P Murphy, R G Lascelles
PMCID: PMC491340  PMID: 6283029

Abstract

This retrospective study over the decade 1969-1978 examines the precipitating factors and outcome in thirty-one patients with myasthenia gravis who developed ventilatory failure. An unusual example of chronic alveolar hypoventilation is discussed in detail. The most favourable outcome occurred in younger patients with a hyperplastic thymus, in contrast to a poorer outlook for older patients with an atrophic gland. Eleven patients died during the period of follow up: three deaths were unrelated to myasthenia but the remaining eight were attributed directly or indirectly to it. The mortality of 36% represents a marked improvement on a 70% mortality in a similar group of patients, reported from this hospital for the years 1960-1968.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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