Myasthenia gravis developing in an HIV-negative patient with Kaposi's sarcoma

Neurol Sci. 2013 Jul;34(7):1249-50. doi: 10.1007/s10072-012-1201-z. Epub 2012 Sep 26.

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis is a disorder of neuromuscular transmission caused by autoimmune mechanisms. We reported a possible association between seropositive myasthenia gravis and Kaposi's sarcoma in a HIV-negative subject and the observed interactions between the treatment regimen for these two conditions. A 62-year-old man came to our attention for ocular myasthenia gravis. He suffered from a classic form of Kaposi's sarcoma since about 1 year. When myasthenic symptoms worsened, the patient was started on prednisone and azathioprine. The patient had a significant worsening of Kaposi's sarcoma, so prednisone and azathioprine were reduced and he was treated with vinblastine, with improvement both in dermatologic than in neurological symptomatology. We propose some considerations: the potential correlation between Kaposi's sarcoma and myasthenia gravis through immunological mechanism; myasthenia gravis as a paraneoplastic manifestation of Kaposi's sarcoma, and the role of an antitumoral agent as a treatment for both the conditions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • HIV Seronegativity* / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / blood
  • Myasthenia Gravis / diagnosis*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / etiology*
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / blood
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / complications*
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / diagnosis*