title: Concordance between severity of disease, disability and health-related quality of life in myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Aim of this study is to verify whether there is concordance between disease's severity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and disability in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). 102 MG patients were clustered on the basis of HRQoL and disability scores into three groups: low disability and low HRQoL decrement (51 patients), intermediate disability and HRQoL decrement (28 patients), severe disability and high HRQoL decrement (23 patients). Cross tabulation with symmetric measures (Cramer's V and Contingency Coefficient) was used to verify the relationships between disease severity groups, based on the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) criteria, and obtained clusters. Results confirm a significant relationship between MG severity groups, HRQoL and disability profiles. In our opinion, HRQoL and disability instruments should be employed in clinical trials to match efficacy of treatments, measured on symptoms' reductions only, with their effects on patients' disability and HRQoL.
authors.affiliation: Neurology, Public Health and Disability Unit, Scientific Directorate, Neurological Institute C. Besta, IRCCS Foundation, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raggi
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antozzi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Confalonieri
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cornelio
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mantegazza
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index