Prednisolone-sparing effect of cyclosporin A therapy for very elderly patients with myasthenia gravis.

Three very elderly (over 80years old) patients having generalized myasthenia gravis without thymoma were treated with cyclosporin A and followed for up to 24months. Cyclosporin A therapy quickly improved myasthenia gravis symptoms in all cases, which allowed a rapid reduction in the prednisolone dose and improvement of prednisolone-related hyperglycemia and hypertension. Combination therapy with prednisolone and low-dose cyclosporin A not only improved the clinical symptoms of the very elderly myasthenia gravis patients but also resulted in a rapid reduction in prednisolone dosage and prednisolone-related side effects. Attention should be paid to cyclosporin A-related renal dysfunction.