Quality of life and activities of daily living of myasthenia gravis patients in Hospital Seberang Jaya, Malaysia using MGQOL-15 and MGADL scores: A cross sectional study

Abstract

Background & Objective: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an immune mediated neuromuscular disease with a wide range of clinical symptoms causing fatigability, which can influence quality of life (QoL) and activity of daily living (ADL). Patient-derived quality of life, as assessed by questionnaires has proven to be an essential outcome measures when used in conjunction with clinical examination. The objective of this study is to explore factors associated with QoL and ADL of MG patients in Hospital Seberang Jaya, Malaysia.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study 35 MG patients were recruited from the Neurology clinic of Hospital Seberang Jaya, Penang. An interview-administered questionnaire was utilized. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts: Socio-demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), Clinical factors (MG type, MG crisis, Ach Antibody positivity, thymoma was recorded) and QoL assessment using validated MG-QoL-15 and MGADL questionnaires respectively. Descriptive and bivariate analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23.

Results: Our sample were 57% males, and the mean age was 54.34 years, range 19 to 81 years. Higher score of MG-QoL-15 and MGADL indicates lower QoL of MG patients. In bivariate analysis, Non-Malays were 8 times more likely to have better QoL compared to Malays (OR=8, 95%CI =1.726-37.09, p = 0.005). Patients with poorer ADL score were 6.5 times more likely to have lower QOL compared to those with lower ADL score (OR = 6.5, 95% CI = 1.3-31.8, p = 0.016). Other clinical factors were not significantly associated with QoL.

Conclusion: This study showed that the non-Malay MG patients and those with lower grades of the disease (grade I to II) had better QoL.