Preoperative Use of Steroids in Patients With Myasthenia Gravis

Abstract

We read with interest the article by Endo and colleagues [1]. We agree that the use of steroids before thymectomy in patients with myasthenia gravis markedly decreases the rate of postoperative respiratory insufficiency. As did Endo and coworkers [1], we found that the rate of infectious complications after transsternal thymectomy is not increased, even if high doses of steroids exceeding 1 mg/kg/day of prednisone are used [2]. The difference between our strategy and that described by Endo and colleagues [1] concerns the indications for steroids.