A comparison study of thymectomy outcomes in young and older patients with non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis

Does thymectomy for non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis work as well and as safely in patients 50 and older as in younger patients?

79 patients with non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis who had thymectomy at a single institution (45 under 50, 34 aged 50+), 1999-2022

Retrospective chart review comparing younger vs. older age groups on disease severity, medication reduction, complications, and exacerbations; follow-up — what this means duration not specified

• No between-group difference in the proportion improving MGFA classification (p=0.48) or in corticosteroid reduction (p=0.75)
• Postoperative complications were similar (p=0.87), as were new cancer (p=0.57) and autoimmune diagnoses (p=0.13)
• Exacerbation rates (p=0.22), need for rescue therapy (p=0.29), MG-ADL scores (p=0.84), and minimal symptom expression at last follow-up — what this means (p=0.31) did not differ

This small retrospective series suggests older adults with non-thymomatous MG may see post-thymectomy outcomes comparable to younger patients, so age alone may not predict a different rehab trajectory, though the evidence is low-level and single-center.