Severity and depression can impact quality of life in patients with myasthenia gravis

Muscle Nerve. 2020 Jan;61(1):69-73. doi: 10.1002/mus.26719. Epub 2019 Oct 16.

Abstract

Background: The revised 15-item Myasthenia Gravis (MG) Quality of Life Questionnaire (MGQoL15R) is a validated scale of quality of life in patients with MG. We aimed to study the factors causing the variability within the Arabic version of the MGQoL15R (MGQoL15R-A).

Method: A standardized questionnaire was completed by 118 patients. Correlations and hierarchical regression analyses were used to assess the contribution of sociodemographic variables, clinical factors, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9-A), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD7-A) to the variability in the MGQoL15R-A.

Results: The MGQoL15R-A was highly correlated with PHQ9-A (r = 0.76), and moderately correlated with GAD7-A (r = 0.52). Clinical factors and PHQ9-A independently explained 30.4% and 34.5% of the variability, respectively. Among the clinical factors, uncontrolled MG status, relapse within the past year, and a higher number of current MG therapies were significantly associated with a higher MGQoL15R-A score.

Conclusions: MG severity and depressive symptoms (measured by PHQ9-A) can affect the MGQoL15R-A score.

Keywords: Arabic; MGQoL15R; MGQoL15R-A; depression; myasthenia gravis; quality of life.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anxiety Disorders / complications
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology
  • Arabs
  • Depression / complications*
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Female
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / psychology*
  • Quality of Life
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Translations