1.Correlation Between Quality of Life and Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis
Yibin ZHANG ; Qi LU ; Baitong WANG ; Yixun QI ; Hanying XU ; Peng XU ; Meijin SONG ; Peixi ZHAO ; Zhiguo LYU ; Jian WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(10):275-281
ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the correlation between the quality of life (QOL) and different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), identifying potential influencing factors to provide new insights for clinical interventions and improving the QOL of patients with MG. MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted on 93 adults with MG who visited the Department of Neurology at the Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine from March 2023 to January 2024. Statistical analysis was performed on the clinical data collected using SPSS 24.0 software. ResultsAmong the 93 patients with MG, the average score for myasthenia gravis quality of life-15 (MGQOL-15) was 17.65±6.27, and that for the 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) was (106.13±11.83) scores. The QOL was rated as good for 16 patients and moderate for 77 patients. There were no statistically significant differences in the scores of MGQOL-15, SF-36, and their individual scales by gender or education level. Age showed statistically significant differences in MGQOL-15 and the role physical (RP) scale (P<0.05), and occupational type showed significant differences in the vitality (VT) scale (P<0.01). The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) classification had statistical significance on the total SF-36 score (P<0.01), VT scale (P<0.01), role emotional (RE) scale (P<0.05), social functioning (SF) scale (P<0.05), and physical functioning (PF) scale (P<0.01). Among patients with different TCM syndromes, there were significant differences in MGQOL-15 scores (F=4.919, P<0.01). Moreover, significant differences were observed in SF-36 scores (P<0.01), VT scale (P<0.01), RE scale (P<0.05), mental health (MH) scale (P<0.01), and SF scale (P<0.05). ConclusionFactors affecting the QOL of patients with MG include age, occupational type, and clinical classification of MG. Specifically, a greater impact on the QOL of older patients is observed, while physical laborers have a poorer QOL compared to non-physical laborers. Patients classified as MGFA type Ⅱ and higher have a poorer QOL. Additionally, there is a potential correlation between the QOL and TCM syndromes, with patients presenting with spleen and kidney Qi deficiency having a lower QOL than those with spleen and stomach Qi deficiency or Qi and Yin deficiency, which is particularly evident in the VT, RE, MH, and SF scales.