Table 3.
Immunosuppressor therapies used for the treatment of drug‐refractory MG, percentage of withdrawal, reasons for withdrawal, and reported side effects.
| Immunosuppressor (number of patients) | Withdrawal (%) | Reasons for withdrawal (%) | Side effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prednisone (84) | 18 (21.4) |
6 (33.3) inefficacy 6 (33.3) side effects 6 (33.3) improvement or remission |
1 High blood pressure 1 Diabetes mellitus 1 High blood pressure + diabetes mellitus 1 Osteopenia 1 Compulsion 1 Weight gain |
| Azathioprine (70) | 63 (90) |
40 (63.5) inefficacy 22 (34.9) side effects 1 (1.6) inefficacy and side effects |
5 Hepatotoxicity 5 Abdominal pain 4 Anemia 3 Allergy 1 Pancytopenia 1 Leucopenia 1 Arthralgia 3 Unknown |
| Mycophenolate Mofetil (57) | 43 (75.4) |
32 (74.4) inefficacy 8 (18.6) side effects 3 (7.0) desire for pregnancy |
2 Abdominal pain 2 Hepatotoxicity 1 Diarrhea 1 Abdominal pain and diarrhea 1 Pancytopenia 1 Unknown |
| Cyclosporine (56) | 45 (80.4) |
21 (46.7) inefficacy 21 (46.7) side effects 2 (4.4) inefficacy and side effects 1 (2.2) desire for pregnancy |
10 Nephrotoxicity 4 Abdominal pain 2 High blood pressure and headache 1 Hepatotoxicity 1 Hypertrichosis 1 Gum hyperplasia 1 Tremor 1 Anemia and leucopenia 2 Unknown |
| Tacrolimus (33) | 17 (51.5) |
8 (47.1) inefficacy 7 (41.2) side effects 2 (11.8) remission |
2 Nausea and vomits 1 Skin rash 1 Alopecia 1 Hyperglycemia 1 Vision loss 1 Unknown |
| Rituximab (40) | 35 (87.5) |
21 (60.0) inefficacy 2 (5.7) inefficacy and side effects 13 (37.1) remission |
1 Psoriasis exacerbation 1 Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy |
| Methotrexate (6) | 5 (83.3) |
2 (40) inefficacy 1 (20) side effects 2 (40) remission |
1 Abdominal pain |
| Cyclophosphamide (7) | 7 (100) |
3 (42.9) inefficacy 1 (14.3) inefficacy and side effects 3 (42.9) remission |
1 Toxic organizing pneumonia |
MG, myasthenia gravis.