Vein Immunoglobulin Therapy may Induce Pancreatic Damage in Myasthenic Patients: A Case Report

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neurological disease characterized by fluctuating fatigable skeletal muscle weakness that represents a challenge for physicians due to the diversity of the disease manifestations and the possibility of fatal complications. Case report: We report the case of a 45-year-old female patient with myasthenia gravis, who developed reversible signs of pancreatic damage, probably related to immunoglobulin vein infusion therapy (IGiv). During this treatment, the patients had an increase of the serum pancreatic enzymes, greater than five times the upper limit of normal values, resolved, without treatment, after the suspension of IGiv. Moreover, a magnetic resonance with cholangiography, showed a slight hyperintensity of the head of the pancreas. Conclusions: The close temporal relationship between the vein infusion of immunoglobulin and the increase of serum pancreatic enzymes in our patient suggests that IGiv may have a toxic effect on the pancreatic cells that disappears with the suspension of IGiv.