Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 2 and autoimmune hepatitis with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis: case report

Abstract

Abstract Background Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 2 (APS-2) is a rare and complex clinical entity, and little is known about its etiology and progression. Case presentation A 52-year-old woman with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and bronchial asthma was diagnosed with APS-2; autoimmune Addison’s disease (AD), and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), and she underwent prednisolone (PSL) treatment. Five months later, she presented ptosis and was diagnosed with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis (MG). Thymectomy and PSL treatment with immuno-suppressants appeared to ameliorate MG, AD, AIH, HT, and bronchial asthma. HLA typing analysis revealed that the patient had susceptible HLA alleles to MG, AIH, and HT in a Japanese population. Conclusions This case suggests common endocrinological and autoimmune aspects of APS-2 and AIH with thymoma-associated MG, which are considered to be extremely rare complications.

Keywords

• Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 2 (APS-2)
• Autoimmune Addison’s disease
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis
• Bronchial asthma