Formalinized Tanned Cell Hemagglutination Test for Demonstration Of Autoantibodies in Myasthenia Gravis. ∗

Abstract

Summary

A formalinized tanned cell agglutination test for detecting muscle antibodies in the serum of patients suffering from myasthenia gravis is described. The results obtained with the formalinized tanned cells appear to be essentially the same as those obtained with fresh tanned cells. However, the formalinized and coated tanned cells can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks or in a frozen state in the deep-freeze for as long as 6 months. Thyroid antibodies and antinuclear antibodies seem to occur more frequently in the sera of patients suffering from myasthenia gravis containing muscle autoantibodies than in groups of those patients without muscle antibodies.