Risk Factors for Developing Postthymectomy Myasthenic Crisis in Thymoma Patients

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the risk factors for developing postthymectomy myasthenic crisis in thymoma patients.

Patients And Methods: Patients with thymoma received thymectomy from January 2001 to December 2014 were reviewed and included in this retrospective study in Lishui People's Hospital. Seventy-seven patients were included in this study. For the 77 cases, 66 patients not developing postthymectomy myasthenic crisis were considered as a control group, and other 11 subjects developing postthymectomy myasthenic were considered as the case group. The potential risk factors such age, gender, Osseman stage, Masaoka, pyridostigmine bromide, and et al. were compared between case and control group firstly by Chi-square test or Student's t-test and then by logistic regression test.

Results: Eleven patients developed postthymectomy myasthenic with the incidence of 14.3%; logistic regression analysis indicates that pyridostigmine bromide >360 mg/day administration (OR = 21.2, P < 0.05), postsurgery pulmonary infection (OR = 8.3, P < 0.05) and myasthenic crisis prior surgery (OR = 3.2, P < 0.05) were the independent risk factors for developing postthymectomy myasthenic crisis in thymoma patients.

Conclusion: Thymoma patients with a large dosage of pyridostigmine bromide administration, postsurgery pulmonary infection and myasthenic crisis prior surgery were easy to have postthymectomy myasthenic crisis.