Female sex and overweight are associated with a lower quality of life in patients with myasthenia gravis: a single center cohort study

BMC Neurology

Research

Christoph Anten¹  Fabian Kück¹  Stefanie Glaubitz²  Hannah Wilcke²  Jana Zschüntzsch²  David Liebetanz²  Jens Schmidt³ 

[1] Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany;Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany;Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany;Department of Neurology and Pain Treatment, Immanuel Clinic Rüdersdorf, University Hospital of the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Rüdersdorf bei Berlin, Germany;Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Rüdersdorf bei Berlin, Germany;

关键词: Myasthenia gravis;    Quality of life;    Gender medicine;    MG-ADL;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12883-023-03406-0

 received in 2023-05-11, accepted in 2023-09-27,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMyasthenia gravis (MG) affects individuals as a chronic autoimmune disease for many years. Commonly, chronic diseases significantly reduce the patients’ quality of life. Aiming to improve the future quality of life in MG, this study assessed the factors impacting quality of life. As gender-specific medicine is becoming increasingly important, this study also focused on understanding gender differences in the outcome of MG.MethodsThe study is a combined monocentric, retrospective and prospective database analysis of patient records based on 2,370 presentations of 165 patients with clinically, serologically and/or electrophysiologically confirmed MG over an observation period of up to 47 years. The data collection included the following parameters: antibody status, disease severity, age, medication use, gender, and disease duration. In addition, a prospective survey was conducted on the quality of life using the Myasthenia gravis-specific 15-item Quality of Life scale (MG-QoL15) and on the activities of daily living using the MG-specific Activities of Daily Living scale (MG-ADL).ResultsOf the 165 patients, 85 were male (51.5%) and 80 were female (48.5%). The remaining baseline characteristics (e.g. age and antibody status) were consistent with other myasthenia gravis cohorts. A high body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.005) and a high disease severity (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with lower disease-specific quality of life. Additionally, the quality of life in women with MG was significantly reduced compared to male patients (19.7 vs. 13.0 points in the MG-QoL15, p = 0.024). Gender differences were also observable in terms of the period between initial manifestation and initial diagnosis and women were significantly more impaired in their activities of daily living (MG-ADL) than men (4.8 vs. 3.0 points, p = 0.032).ConclusionWomen with MG had significantly poorer disease specific quality of life compared to men as well as patients with a higher BMI. In order to improve the quality of life, gender-specific medicine and further investigation regarding a modification of the quality of life by lowering the BMI are essential and necessary.Trial registrationStudy approval by the Ethics Committee of the University Medical Center Göttingen was granted (number 6/5/18).

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

【 图 表 】

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