The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australia's myasthenia gravis patients: A self-reported survey study

Pakeeran Siriratnam; Zhibin Chen; Laura McArthur; Stephen Reddell; WenWen Zhang; Katherine Buzzard

doi:10.1007/s10072-024-07934-6

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australia's myasthenia gravis patients: A self-reported survey study

Neurol Sci. 2024 Dec 28. doi: 10.1007/s10072-024-07934-6. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Pakeeran Siriratnam^{1

2}, Zhibin Chen^{3

4

5}, Laura McArthur⁶, Stephen Reddell⁷, WenWen Zhang^{6

3}, Katherine Buzzard^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Neurology Department, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. p.siriratnam@alfred.org.au.
² Department of Neuroscience, The Central Clinical School, Monash University, 55 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. p.siriratnam@alfred.org.au.
³ Department of Neuroscience, The Central Clinical School, Monash University, 55 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
⁴ Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁵ School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁶ Neurology Department, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁷ Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia.
⁸ Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, 3128, Australia.
⁹ Neurology Department, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville , VIC, 3050, Australia.

PMID: 39730952
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07934-6

Abstract

Introduction/aims: Previous studies have demonstrated high morbidity and mortality in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) who acquired COVID-19. We aimed to identify the impact of the pandemic on MG disease control, treatment and quality of life.

Methods: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian patients with MG. We conducted an online survey through Myasthenia Alliance Australia from May 2022 to July 2022.

Results: Among the 229 patients who responded to the survey, most patients had three (80; 34.9%) or four (116; 50.7%) doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, 65 (28.4%) had contracted COVID-19, with 6 patients (9.4%) requiring hospitalisation. A large proportion of patients responded that the pandemic had no impact on their MG disease control (123; 53.7%) or treatment (111; 48.5%). Most patients felt the pandemic had either a mild (111; 48.5%) or moderate (50; 21.8%) impact on their mood.

Conclusion: Our study provides a snapshot of the types of impacts experienced by myasthenic patients during the pandemic, in particular the psychosocial effects. As we continue to live with COVID-19, clinicians should consider its various impacts in the holistic management of their patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; Mental health; Myasthenia gravis; Pandemic; Quality of life.