Abstract
We report on a patient with long-standing severe autonomic failure that affected his sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Antibodies against the ganglionic acetylcholine receptors were detected in the serum. Removal of the antibodies by means of plasma exchange resulted in a dramatic clinical improvement.
Copyright 2005 Massachusetts Medical Society.
Publication types
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Case Reports
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Autoantibodies / blood*
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Autoimmune Diseases / therapy*
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Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / immunology
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Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology
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Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / therapy*
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Combined Modality Therapy
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Ganglia, Autonomic / immunology
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Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
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Humans
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Immunosuppression Therapy
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Male
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Plasma Exchange*
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Prednisolone / therapeutic use
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Receptors, Cholinergic / immunology
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Recurrence
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Syncope / etiology
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Syncope / therapy
Substances
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Autoantibodies
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Glucocorticoids
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Receptors, Cholinergic
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Prednisolone