People with myasthenia gravis (MG) who are receiving immunosuppressive therapy are more likely to be hospitalized for a COVID-19 infection, yet the majority of patients are discharged without any complications, a single center study reports.
“Immunosuppressive therapy was continued during COVID-19 infection,” and “most of hospitalized patients were discharged from the hospital without requiring nursing care and rehabilitation,” according to researchers.
The team noted that “symptoms of myasthenia gravis (MG) may be exacerbated by COVID-19,” but said the overall outcomes for patients were positive.
The study, was published in the journal Clinical Neurology & Neurosurgery.
MG is an autoimmune disease caused by self-reactive antibodies that target and attack proteins that are part of neuromuscular junctions — the sites of communication between nerve and muscle cells. Such attacks lead to muscle weakness and fatigue among patients, most commonly women younger than 40 and men older than 60.
Outcomes for MG patients with COVID-19
Recent studies have suggested that MG patients may have worse outcomes if infected by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Possible explanations include the virus’ impact on whole-body (systemic) inflammation and severe respiratory disease, coupled with the immunosuppressive medications often prescribed to MG patients.
Now, researchers in Iran described the outcomes of 83 MG patients who became infected with ...
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