Assessment of the Myasthenia Gravis Patients’ Quality of Life

Abstract

Introduction. Myasthenia gravis is an immune-mediated disease associated with a disorder of the neuromuscular junction. MG belongs to the group of chronic diseases with variable clinical courses. Patients struggling with this disease must remain under the constant care of a neurologist and take medications regularly. Talking about myasthenia gravis, we can divide it into two forms: ocular and generalized. In patients with the generalized form, a lower level of quality of life can be observed. As patients age, their quality of life increases. This may be due to the fact that younger people, leading a more active life, find it more difficult to accept disabilities resulting from the disease. Aim. The aim of the study is to present the specificity of the functioning of patients with myasthenia gravis. Material and Methods. To write the above work, an analysis of the literature and a diagnostic survey were used, an original questionnaire consisting of three parts and six ready-made scales was used. Results. The study showed that the quality of life of patients with myasthenia gravis is reduced. A lower level of quality of life can be observed among women, younger people and those suffering from the general form of this disease. Myasthenia gravis negatively affects the daily functioning of patients. The negative impact of physical, mental and general fatigue as well as the degree of everyday life difficulties due to fatigue on the quality of life of patients with MG was also demonstrated. In the case of myasthenia gravis, however, we must distinguish between fatigue and muscle fatigue. Conclusions. Myasthenia gravis and the problems faced by people with this disease is a topic rarely discussed in scientific works. The quality of life of this group of patients is significantly reduced, which contributes to the occurrence of anxiety and depression among this group of patients. The biggest problem among MG patients is fatigue, which has a significant impact on their quality of life. More attention should be paid to the problem of quality of life and more research related to this topic should be carried out in the future. (JNNN 2023;12(2):74–83)