Social support, quality of life and activities of daily living in patients with myasthenia gravis in Spain and Latin America

Objective

To determine the relationship of perceived social support with clinical variables, the profile of activities of daily living and quality of life in patients diagnosed with myasthenia gravis living in Spain and Latin America.

Methods

Observational, cross-sectional study. Subjects diagnosed with myasthenia gravis were recruited from associations, foundations and social media in the first quarter of 2022. The Medical Outcomes Study (MOS-SSS), the Myasthenia gravis activities of daily living profile (MG-ADL) and the 15-item Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life scale revised (MG-QOL15R-S) instruments were included.

Results

Mean time to diagnosis (t = 2,38; P < .05), history of thymoma (χ2 = 5.18; P < .05), MG-ADL global score (t = 4.29; P < .001), and MG-QOL15R-S global score (t = 7.67; P < .001) were related to perceived social support in MG subjects. We also found that MOS-SSS score correlated significantly with MG-ADL (r = −0.15; P < .001) and MG-QOL15R-S (r = −0.27; P < .001) scores.

Conclusions

A history of thymoma reduces the likelihood of high perceived social support, and diagnosis of the disease at less than two years has been associated with a higher frequency of high perceived social support. In addition, high perceived social support is expected to correlate with high quality of life and lower severity of myasthenia gravis symptoms.