Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies affect the neuromuscular junction, leading to muscle loss. Steroids are the primary immunosuppressive treatment for this condition. Since steroids affect the immune system and are effective in most subtypes of myasthenia gravis, they are often used for long-term maintenance treatment. This increases the probability of steroidassociated side effects such as decreases in bone mineral density and increased risk of fractures. The authors successfully treated an 18-year-old female who had been using steroids for a long time after being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis using teriparatide for osteoporotic multi-segment thoracolumbar compression fractures that occurred without trauma with satisfactory outcomes. Since there have been no reports of osteoporotic multi-segmental thoracolumbar compression fractures and treatment in juvenile myasthenia gravis patients caused by long-term steroid use, we report this case along with a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Although microfracture is widely accepted as an effective treatment option for knee chondral lesions, little is known about the deterioration of clinical outcomes and radiological progression in middle-aged patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the clinical and radiological changes after microfracture of knee chondral lesions in middle-aged Asian patients. METHODS: A total of 71 patients were included in the study. They were between the ages of 40 and 60 years and underwent arthroscopic microfracture for localized full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee from January 2000 to September 2015. The recovery status of chondral lesions was assessed by using the magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score in postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Clinical and radiological results were reviewed, and survival rate with conversion to arthroplasty or osteotomy as an end point was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients at surgery was 51.3 ± 4.7 years (range, 40 to 60 years), and the mean follow-up period was 7.2 ± 2.6 years (range, 1.0 to 17.4 years). The MOCART scores of 32 patients at mean postoperative 2.1 years showed three cases (9%) of full recovery, two cases (7%) of hyperplastic recovery, 23 cases (70%) with more than 50% filling, and four cases (14%) with less than 50% filling. Clinical scores improved significantly at 1 year after surgery (p < 0.05); however, the scores deteriorated over time after postoperative 1 year, and the mean values reached preoperative levels at postoperative 10 years. Significant radiological progression of arthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade) was observed at 5 years after surgery. Four patients underwent total knee arthroplasty during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients showed more than 50% of defect filling at 2 years after surgery on MRI. Clinical results of microfracture of knee chondral lesion showed the best improvement at postoperative 1 year but gradually worsened thereafter until postoperative 10 years. Radiological progression of arthritis was observed from 5 years after surgery.
Arthritis ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cartilage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Osteotomy ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome