Retrospective analysis of the use of cyclosporine in myasthenia gravis

The authors reviewed the records of patients with myasthenia gravis who took cyclosporine for at least 6 months between November 1987 and January 1999. Of 57 patients who took cyclosporine for an average of 3.5 years, 55 (96) had clinical improvement. The median time to best clinical response was 7 months. Corticosteroids were discontinued or decreased in 95 of 38 patients taking them. Major side effects included elevated serum creatinine (28) and malignancy (11). Five percent could not afford or tolerate the drug.