[Pubmed] Assessing respiratory status in myasthenia gravis: limited value of the MG-ADL as a standalone tool compared wi

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J Neurol. 2026 Mar 24;273(4):231. doi: 10.1007/s00415-026-13757-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Patients with generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG) may develop respiratory involvement, which can be life-threatening. In clinical practice, the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living scale (MG-ADL) is often used to assess patient-reported respiratory impairment, as spirometry can be time-consuming and require specialized equipment and expertise. However, it is unclear whether the MG-ADL is a sufficient screening tool for identifying respiratory insufficiency.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study with a longitudinal subgroup, patients completed the MG-ADL, the Myasthenia Gravis Composite scale (MGC), and the Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis score (QMG). As a part of the QMG, spirometry was conducted. All patients had one evaluation, and a subgroup of patients had an additional evaluation after 3 years.

RESULTS: One hundred patients were screened, and 70 were included and tested. Of these, 25 were retested 3 years later. Respiratory symptoms were reported by 30 (43%) of the 70 patients, though none reported severe symptoms. There was a poor correlation (r = - 0.24, p = .048) between the respiratory item of the MG-ADL and spirometry. Patients with respiratory insufficiency showed improvement over time, as did the MGC score.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate limited agreement between patient-reported respiratory symptoms (MG-ADL) and spirometry measures, suggesting that spirometry remains essential for accurate assessment of respiratory function in gMG.

PMID:41876876 | DOI:10.1007/s00415-026-13757-6


Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4187687 ... t6+133c1fe