Myasthenia gravis patients with low plasma IL-6 and IFN-γ benefit from etanercept treatment

Steroid-dependent myasthenia gravis patients improved following treatment with etanercept (recombinant human TNF receptor:Fc) in a prospective pilot trial. While the plasma anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody levels remained unaffected, etanercept treatment increased plasma levels of C3, circulating immune complexes, IL-10 and IFN-γ. There was a direct correlation between plasma IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ levels and the post-treatment clinical scores of patients. Moreover, patients with lower pre-treatment plasma IL-6 and IFN-γ levels attained better clinical improvement following etanercept treatment.