title: Improvement of quality of life after therapeutic plasma exchange in patients with myasthenic crisis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to evaluate quality of life patients with myasthenic crisis before and after therapeutic plasma exchange.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our study we conducted an assessment of the quality of life with the use of the questionnaire SF-36, when executed eleven therapeutic plasma exchange. The assessment was made on baseline and after 4 weeks. We also did neurological clinical evaluation before and after TPE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the study showed significant improvement in quality of life after performed therapeutic plasma exchange. The changes were observed in physical functioning, which confirmed the results of the statistical significance of p<0.05. In the analysis, the assessment of mental functioning not obtained the results of statistical significance, but the results also showed improvement in self-assessment. We observed high correlation between general health and physical mental functioning, between the role limitations due to physical health problems and role limitations due to emotional problems, and general health perception and bodily pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therapeutic plasma exchange significantly improves the quality of life of patients with myasthenia gravis during the crisis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland. Electronic address: irozmilowska@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rozmilowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adamczyk-Sowa
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rutkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pierzchala
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Misiolek
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Myasthenia gravis; Plasmapheresis; Quality of life; Questionnaire SF-36; Therapeutic plasma exchange