Abstract Details

Title Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Myasthenia Gravis patients: A survey of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Registry

Topic Neuromuscular and Clinical Neurophysiology (EMG)

Presentation(s) Neuromuscular and Clinical Neurophysiology (EMG) Posters (7:00 AM-5:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 118

Objective To describe the impact of COVID-19 in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG).

Background The health and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in people with MG are incompletely understood.

Design/Methods The MGFA MG Registry is a patient-driven, nationwide registry with MG patients of at least 18 years of age and living in the US. A custom designed “COVID-19 Questionnaire” was sent out to MG registry participants in June 2020 as part of semi-annual follow up. Responses were collected from June to August 2020. Analyses used descriptive methods.

Results A total 456 participants completed the COVID-19 Questionnaire. Mean ± standard deviation of age was 65 ± 13 and 53% were female. Mean ± standard deviation of MG-ADL and MG-QOL15r total scores were 4.8 ± 3.9 and 9.6 ±7.5 respectively. Participants universally reported awareness of the pandemic and 74% felt anxious. To avoid COVID-19 infection, participants reported practicing social distancing (95%), wearing protective equipment (91%) and avoiding travel (87%). Participants consulted their MG provider through telemedicine video conference (43%), regular clinic visit (21%), and phone calls (20%) while 16% could not connect with their providers. MG medications were unchanged in most participants (93%). Direct contact with COVID-19 patients was reported in 43 (10%) participants. Among 97 participants (21%) reporting symptoms concerning for COVID-19 infection in the past 6 months, 9 participants were hospitalized, 4 needed intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and 1 required intubation. Only 33 out of 97 participants with symptoms (34%) were tested for COVID-19. One participant reported being diagnosed with COVID-19 resulting in ICU admission without intubation. COVID-19 specific treatment was not given.

Conclusions Although anxiety levels are high, COVID-19 symptoms and infection among MG registry participants are rare. Most patients have been able to maintain contact with their MG provider and to continue their MG medications unchanged.

Authors/Disclosures
Andres De Leon, MD (Emory University) PRESENTER	Dr. De Leon has nothing to disclose.
Immaculada Aban	No disclosure on file
Tarrant McPherson	Tarrant McPherson has received research support from Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America.
Volkan Granit, MD	Dr. Granit has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Biohaven Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Granit has stock in Biohaven. Dr. Granit has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Faculty Member with University of Miami.
Michael G. Benatar, MBChB, DPhil, F�鶹��ýӳ�� (University of Miami)	Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Biogen. The institution of Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Arrowhead. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for Alexion. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving as a Consultant for Annexon. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving as a Consultant for UniQure. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Immunovant. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Cartesian. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Horizon. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Janssen. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Eli Lilly. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for CorEvitas. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Canopy. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Alaunos. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Prilenia. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Merck. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Alector. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Novartis. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for BMS. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Woolsey. Dr. Benatar has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Takeda. Dr. Benatar has received intellectual property interests from a discovery or technology relating to health care.
Gary R. Cutter, PhD (University of Alabama At Birmingham)	Dr. Cutter has received personal compensation in the range of $50,000-$99,999 for serving as a Consultant for onsulting or Advisory Boards: Alexion, Antisense Therapeutics/Percheron, Avotres, Biogen, Clene Nanomedicine, Clinical Trial Solutions LLC, Endra Life Sciences, Cognito Therapeutics, Genzyme, Genentech, Immunic, Klein-Buendel Incorporated, Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. , Linical, Merck/Serono, Noema, Neurogenesis, Perception Neurosciences, Protalix Biotherapeutics, Regeneron, Revelstone Consulting, Roche, SAB Biotherapeutics, Sapience Therapeutics, Scott&Scott LLP, Tenmile.. Dr. Cutter has received personal compensation in the range of $50,000-$99,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Data and Safety Monitoring Boards: Applied Therapeutics, AI therapeutics, AMO Pharma, Argenx, Astra-Zeneca, Avexis Pharmaceuticals, Bristol Meyers Squibb, CSL Behring, Cynata Therapeutics, DiamedicaTherapeutics, Horizon Pharmaceuticals, Immunic, Inhibrix, Karuna Therapeutics, Kezar Life Sciences, Medtronic, Merck, Meiji Seika Pharma, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Holdings, Prothena Biosciences, Novartis, Pipeline Therapeutics (Contineum), Regeneron, Sanofi-Aventis, Teva Pharmaceuticals, United BioSource LLC, University of Texas Southwestern.. Dr. Cutter has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for JASN.
Ikjae Lee, MD (Columbia University)	Dr. Lee has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Regeneron. The institution of Dr. Lee has received research support from NIH. The institution of Dr. Lee has received research support from Spastic Paraplegia Foundation.

�鶹��ýӳ��

�鶹��ýӳ��