Young and middle-aged patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) are less likely to participate in social settings and environments, according to a study recently published in Frontiers in Neurology.
Increasingly, the patient population of MG is shifting younger. As such, there is renewed academic interest in how patients with MG cope with social participation, given the sometimes debilitating nature of MG disease manifestations.
Researchers from China selected young and middle-aged patients with MG (from 18 to 59 years of age) seen at the neurology and thoracic surgery outpatient departments of a hospital in Shenzhen between January 2020 and December 2022.
A control group was established by recruiting individuals without MG who underwent physical examinations at the hospital. Recruited individuals were asked to complete a questionnaire that was designed to incorporate existing clinical scores that measure social participation.
Read more about MG testing and diagnosis
A total of 145 patients with MG and 145 healthy controls filled in the questionnaire. The main finding was that young and middle-aged patients with MG had “significantly impaired” social participation, as demonstrated by scores that showed low levels of social engagement.
Statistical analysis found that symptoms of depression were the most prominent predictor of impaired social participation, followed by a patient’s ability to carry out activities of daily living.
In addition, family functioning and place of residence emerged as factors that had “substantial” effects on social engagement. The authors noted that greater family support and close personal relationships like those between family members helped improve social participation. Meanwhile, individuals who lived in rural areas had poorer social participation scores compared with those in urban areas. The authors noted that patients with MG in rural areas had fewer work opportunities, which lowered their social participation.
“Social participation levels among young and middle-aged MG patients are suboptimal,” the authors of the study wrote. “Clinically, attention should be directed toward patients’ engagement in self-care, general activities, and independent social life and relationships.”
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