Figure 4

Analyses of thymic histology for the presence of germinal centers. AChR⁺ MG patients without immunosuppressive treatments were analyzed. L/A Lymphocytic/Adipous (L/A) ratio determined for 179 patients by measuring the surface occupied by the lympho-epithelial area among the total tissue (A). Percentage of patients with thymic GCs for 296 MG patients (B), for 231 female (D) or 65 male (F) MG patients. The degree of follicular hyperplasia was graded for 296 MG patients (C), for 231 female (E) or 65 male (G) MG patients as follows: no GC = 0; few/rare GCs = 1; many/numerous GCs = 2; very numerous GCs = 3. For figures A, C, E, G graph bars represent the mean values ± SEM. p-values were assessed using the one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison tests (A, C, E, G) using a Fisher’s exact test (B-D-F) and indicated if p < 0.1.