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Panda PK, Sharawat IK. Myasthenia gravis and economic burden: Exploring the impact of family dynamics on financial strain. J Clin Neurosci 2024; 120:92-93. [PMID: 38237492 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2024.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Prateek Kumar Panda
- Pediatric Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249203, India
| | - Indar Kumar Sharawat
- Pediatric Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249203, India.
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Meng DD, Ruan Z, Tang YL, Ji ZH, Su Y, Xu T, Cui BZ, Ren DL, Chang T, Yang Q. Factors associated with the disease family burden of caregivers of myasthenia gravis patients in northwestern China: A cross-sectional study. J Clin Neurosci 2024; 119:70-75. [PMID: 37988975 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2023.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) lose part of their working or living ability due to illness, and bring burden to caregivers. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors related to caregivers' disease family burden for MG patients in Northwest China. METHODS The study utilized our Myasthenia Gravis database and distributed online questionnaires to both MG patients and their caregivers. The questionnaires included a general data collection form, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale, and the Caregivers' Family Burden Scale of Disease (FBSD). Univariate analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis were run, with FBSD as the outcome variable for separate analyses. RESULTS 178 MG patients were eligible for inclusion in the analysis, of whom 80 patients' caregivers had a positive family burden of MG. The daily activity burden of the family and the economic burden of the family were the heaviest among the six dimensions of the caregivers' family disease burdens. The factors independently associated with FBSD were depression symptom level, MG severity classification and family's monthly per capita income (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Depression symptom level, MG severity classification and family's monthly per capita income are independent factors related to the caregivers' disease family burden for MG patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Dong Meng
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Zhe Ruan
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Yong-Lan Tang
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Zhao-Hua Ji
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yue Su
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Tuo Xu
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Bo-Zhou Cui
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Da-Lin Ren
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Ting Chang
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China.
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Hughes T, Howard JF, Silvestri NJ, Anderson AEL, Sato M, Suchotliff S, Guptill JT, Phillips G. The economic burden of individuals living with generalized myasthenia gravis and facing social determinants of health challenges. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1247931. [PMID: 37766748 PMCID: PMC10520715 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1247931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Better understanding the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) barriers from the patient perspective is crucial to improve holistic patient support in generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), a rare autoimmune disorder with high disease and treatment burden. The objective of this study was to identify economic challenges experienced by individuals living with gMG and SDOH barriers to better address current unmet needs. Methods Adults (18-75 years) living with gMG and experiencing SDOH barriers in the United States were recruited to a mixed-methods study including qualitative interviews and a web-based quantitative survey. Quotas were implemented to include a balanced spread of baseline demographic categories including insurance type, living environment, and employment status among the study sample. Direct and indirect economic challenges were identified by degree of concern. Results The survey was completed by 38 individuals living with gMG, the majority of whom were enrolled in public insurance and not employed. The most commonly reported major economic concerns were managing funds for emergency care (66%), loss of income (61%), and non-medical expenses (58%), highlighting the diversity of economic challenges. Individuals who were using public insurance plans, living in non-urban environments, and unemployed experienced pronounced challenges around managing non-medical costs and accessing government assistance. Conclusion Both direct and indirect costs were emphasized as major concerns among individuals living with gMG and SDOH barriers. Increasing access to relevant, personalized, and holistic resources, including care management, should be prioritized to improve disease management and outcomes for individuals living with gMG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Hughes
- Argenx US Inc., Boston, MA, United States
| | - James F. Howard
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | | | | | - Mai Sato
- ZS Associates, New York, NY, United States
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Zhong H, Huan X, Zhao R, Su M, Yan C, Song J, Xi J, Zhao C, Luo F, Luo S. Peripheral immune landscape for hypercytokinemia in myasthenic crisis utilizing single-cell transcriptomics. J Transl Med 2023; 21:564. [PMID: 37620910 PMCID: PMC10464341 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04421-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most prevalent autoimmune disorder affecting the neuromuscular junction. A rapid deterioration in respiratory muscle can lead to a myasthenic crisis (MC), which represents a life-threatening condition with high mortality in MG. Multiple CD4+ T subsets and hypercytokinemia have been identified in the peripheral pro-inflammatory milieu during the crisis. However, the pathogenesis is complicated due to the many types of cells involved, leaving the underlying mechanism largely unexplored. METHODS We conducted single-cell transcriptomic and immune repertoire sequencing on 33,577 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from two acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR +) MG patients during MC and again three months post-MC. We followed the Scanpy workflow for quality control, dimension reduction, and clustering of the single-cell data. Subsequently, we annotated high-resolution cell types utilizing transfer-learning models derived from publicly available single-cell immune datasets. RNA velocity calculations from unspliced and spliced mRNAs were applied to infer cellular state progression. We analyzed cell communication and MG-relevant cytokines and chemokines to identify potential inflammation initiators. RESULTS We identified a unique subset of monocytes, termed monocytes 3 (FCGR3B+ monocytes), which exhibited significant differential expression of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways during and after the crisis. In line with the activated innate immune state indicated by MC, a high neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was confirmed in an additional 22 AChR + MC patients in subsequent hemogram analysis and was associated with MG-relevant clinical scores. Furthermore, oligoclonal expansions were identified in age-associated B cells exhibiting high autoimmune activity, and in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells demonstrating persistent T exhaustion. CONCLUSIONS In summary, our integrated analysis of single-cell transcriptomics and TCR/BCR sequencing has underscored the role of innate immune activation which is associated with hypercytokinemia in MC. The identification of a specific monocyte cluster that dominates the peripheral immune profile may provide some hints into the etiology and pathology of MC. However, future functional studies are required to explore causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huahua Zhong
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Xiao Huan
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Rui Zhao
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Manqiqige Su
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chong Yan
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jie Song
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jianying Xi
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Chongbo Zhao
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Feifei Luo
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Sushan Luo
- Huashan Rare Disease Center and Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
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Hughes T, Anderson AEL, Habib AA, Perez K, Bergin C, Suchotliff S, Zvosec C, McDaniel D, Sato M, Whangbo A, Phillips G. Impact of social determinants of health on individuals living with generalized myasthenia gravis and implications for patient support programs. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1147489. [PMID: 37275500 PMCID: PMC10235801 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1147489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Social determinants of health (SDOH) are important contributors to health outcomes, and better understanding their impact on individuals diagnosed with rare, chronic diseases with high burden and unmet need is critical. Characterizing SDOH burden can help improve the design of patient support programs (PSPs), using targeted approaches to remove barriers to access. Methods This study used a mixed-methods strategy employing a quantitative survey, which was designed based on qualitative interviews, to understand the unmet needs and awareness/utilization of PSPs among individuals living with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and experiencing SDOH barriers. The survey was completed by 38 individuals living with gMG, of which the majority were non-White/Caucasian, unemployed, low income, and enrolled in public insurance. Common SDOH challenges, awareness/utilization of available PSPs, and unmet needs were identified. Results Financial and mental health concerns were the most common among individuals living with gMG and experiencing SDOH barriers throughout diagnosis, accessing treatment, initiating treatment, and continuing treatment. Awareness and utilization of existing support services were low, especially when accessing treatment. Educational, financial, and personalized support with high "human touch" were commonly perceived as the most valuable resources. Implications To better serve the needs of individuals with gMG experiencing SDOH barriers, PSPs should use a targeted approach to offer services tailored to harder-to-reach populations. Further, providers, advocacy groups, manufacturers, and public organizations in the gMG ecosystem should strengthen collaborations with PSPs to enable individuals living with gMG to access the services they need to improve their health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Hughes
- argenx US Inc., Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Ali A. Habib
- UCI Health ALS & Neuromuscular Center, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Mai Sato
- ZS Associates, New York, NY, United States
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Souza PVS, Afonso G, de Rezende Pinto WBV, de Lima Serrano P, de Mattos Lombardi Badia B, Farias IB, Dos Santos Jorge AC, Machado RIL, Pinto IFN, Barros GB, de Oliveira HB, Calil SR, Franz C, Oliveira ASB. Brazilian registry of patients with porphyria: REBRAPPO study. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:49. [PMID: 36890577 PMCID: PMC9996884 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02653-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Porphyrias are a rare group of disease due to inherited defects of heme synthesis with important systemic manifestations and great burden of disease for patients and families due to the exceptional course of disease with disabling chronic symptoms interposed by life-threatening acute attacks. Unfortunately, the porphyrias are usually underrecognized reflecting a lack of medical and disease awareness as well as few studies about natural history in large cohorts of patients. The main aim of this article is present consistent data about natural history and burden of disease in a large Brazilian cohort. METHODS We conducted a national cross-sectional registry with retrospective clinical data of Brazilian patients with porphyria collected with Brazilian patients Association with Porphyria in collaboration with a tertiary care center for rare diseases. RESULTS A cohort of 172 patients was analyzed in which 148 (86%) patients had the diagnosis of acute hepatic porphyria [AHP] that needed a mean of 62.04 medical visits and 9.6 years to achieve a definitive diagnosis. About AHP cohort, the most common first clinical manifestation were abdominal pain in 77 (52%) patients and acute muscle weakness in 23 (15.5%) with 73 (49.3%) patients presenting only one attack during disease course and 37 (25%) exhibiting 4 or more attacks in the last year. Of note, 105 patients with AHP reported chronic manifestations and the scores for quality of life are lower when compared with general healthy population. CONCLUSIONS Brazilian patients with AHP had a higher prevalence of chronic disabling manifestations and a poor quality of life like other cohorts and a higher proportion of patients with recurrent attacks than previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Victor Sgobbi Souza
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil.
| | | | - Wladimir Bocca Vieira de Rezende Pinto
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Paulo de Lima Serrano
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Bruno de Mattos Lombardi Badia
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Igor Braga Farias
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Dos Santos Jorge
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Roberta Ismael Lacerda Machado
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Icaro França Navarro Pinto
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Glenda Barbosa Barros
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Helvia Bertoldo de Oliveira
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Samia Rogatis Calil
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
| | - Cibele Franz
- Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Acary Souza Bulle Oliveira
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Embaú Street, 67, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04039-060, Brazil
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