J Neurol Res

Journal of Neurology Research, ISSN 1923-2845 print, 1923-2853 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Neurol Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.neurores.org

Original Article

Volume 9, Number 1-2, March 2019, pages 8-13

Seropositivity in Myasthenia Gravis as a Predictor of Response to Therapeutic Plasma Exchange

**Table 1.** Comparison for Each Parameter in the QMGS Before and After TPE Treatment
QMGS parameter	Group N = 62	Mean	Std. deviation	Std. error mean	t	Sig. (2-tailed)
QMGS: Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Scale; TPE: therapeutic plasma exchange; PRE: before TPE; POST: after TPE. P > 0.05: non-significance difference, P < 0.05: significant difference; P < 0.01: highly significant difference.
Frustrated by my condition	PRE	3.3210	0.54376	0.06042	3.801	0.0001
	POST	2.9753	0.61187	0.06799
Troubles using my eyes	PRE	3.4321	0.56873	0.06319	8.100	0.0001
	POST	2.5556	0.79057	0.08784
Trouble eating	PRE	3.5062	0.57279	0.06364	8.910
	POST	2.5802	0.73933	0.08215		0.0001
Limited social activities because of MG	PRE	3.0494	0.54546	0.06061	4.655	0.0001
	POST	2.6296	0.60093	0.06677
Limited abilities to enjoy hobbies and fun	PRE	3.1728	0.60807	0.06756	4.564	0.0001
	POST	2.7037	0.69722	0.07747
Trouble meeting the needs of my family	PRE	3.0864	0.63635	0.07071	4.854	0.0001
	POST	2.6049	0.62608	0.06956
Have to make plans around my condition	PRE	2.8765	0.53345	0.05927	4.036	0.0001
	POST	2.5185	0.59395	0.06599
My skills and job status have been negatively affected	PRE	3.3951	0.66481	0.07387	3.753	0.0001
	POST	2.9877	0.71578	0.07953
Difficulty in speaking	PRE	3.2840	0.59654	0.06628	8.472	0.0001
	POST	2.3704	0.76558	0.08506
Trouble in driving	PRE	3.0247	0.54716	0.06080	8.636	0.0001
	POST	2.2222	0.63246	0.07027
Depressed about my condition	PRE	3.3951	0.49191	0.05466	4.453	0.0001
	POST	2.8776	0.52054	0.06544
Trouble in walking	PRE	2.7654	0.55389	0.06154	8.837	0.0001
	POST	1.9630	0.60093	0.06677
Have trouble getting around public places	PRE	2.9753	0.44652	0.04961	6.323	0.0001
	POST	2.4321	0.63123	0.07014
Feel overwhelmed by my condition	PRE	3.0247	0.47369	0.05263	2.666	0.008
	POST	2.8148	0.52705	0.05856
Have trouble performing my personal grooming needs	PRE	2.1728	0.54291	0.06032	3.504	0.001
	POST	1.8765	0.53345	0.05927

Table 1. Comparison for Each Parameter in the QMGS Before and After TPE Treatment

QMGS parameter

Group N = 62

Mean

Std. deviation

Std. error mean

Sig. (2-tailed)

QMGS: Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Scale; TPE: therapeutic plasma exchange; PRE: before TPE; POST: after TPE. P > 0.05: non-significance difference, P < 0.05: significant difference; P < 0.01: highly significant difference.

Frustrated by my condition

PRE

3.3210

0.54376

0.06042

3.801

0.0001

POST

2.9753

0.61187

0.06799

Troubles using my eyes

PRE

3.4321

0.56873

0.06319

8.100

0.0001

POST

2.5556

0.79057

0.08784

Trouble eating

PRE

3.5062

0.57279

0.06364

8.910

POST

2.5802

0.73933

0.08215

0.0001

Limited social activities because of MG

PRE

3.0494

0.54546

0.06061

4.655

0.0001

POST

2.6296

0.60093

0.06677

Limited abilities to enjoy hobbies and fun

PRE

3.1728

0.60807

0.06756

4.564

0.0001

POST

2.7037

0.69722

0.07747

Trouble meeting the needs of my family

PRE

3.0864

0.63635

0.07071

4.854

0.0001

POST

2.6049

0.62608

0.06956

Have to make plans around my condition

PRE

2.8765

0.53345

0.05927

4.036

0.0001

POST

2.5185

0.59395

0.06599

My skills and job status have been negatively affected

PRE

3.3951

0.66481

0.07387

3.753

0.0001

POST

2.9877

0.71578

0.07953

Difficulty in speaking

PRE

3.2840

0.59654

0.06628

8.472

0.0001

POST

2.3704

0.76558

0.08506

Trouble in driving

PRE

3.0247

0.54716

0.06080

8.636

0.0001

POST

2.2222

0.63246

0.07027

Depressed about my condition

PRE

3.3951

0.49191

0.05466

4.453

0.0001

POST

2.8776

0.52054

0.06544

Trouble in walking

PRE

2.7654

0.55389

0.06154

8.837

0.0001

POST

1.9630

0.60093

0.06677

Have trouble getting around public places

PRE

2.9753

0.44652

0.04961

6.323

0.0001

POST

2.4321

0.63123

0.07014

Feel overwhelmed by my condition

PRE

3.0247

0.47369

0.05263

2.666

0.008

POST

2.8148

0.52705

0.05856

Have trouble performing my personal grooming needs

PRE

2.1728

0.54291

0.06032

3.504

0.001

POST

1.8765

0.53345

0.05927

**Table 2.** Comparison Between TPE Group and Non-TPE Group Regarding QMGS Score Initially and After 1 Month of Treatment
	Non-TPE group, N = 16	TPE group, N = 62	Group difference	P value	Sig.
QMGS: Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Scale; TPE: therapeutic plasma exchange; NS: non significant; S: significant; HS: highly significant; IQR: inter-quartile range. ^aindependent t-test; ^bMann-Whitney test.
Initial QMGS score	Mean ± SD	24.14 ± 2.00	25.66 ± 3.85	-1.537^a	0.125	NS
	Range	21 - 27	18 - 34
QMGS score after 1 month	Mean ± SD	26.37 ± 3.20	18.05 ± 4.14	7.828^a	< 0.0001	HS
	Range	22 - 32	11 - 30
QMGS change	Median (IQR)	8 (0 - 14.27)	-26.68 (-41.36 to -17.67)	-6.406^b	< 0.0001	HS
	Range	-4.17 - 38.1	-58.06 - 0

Table 2. Comparison Between TPE Group and Non-TPE Group Regarding QMGS Score Initially and After 1 Month of Treatment

Non-TPE group, N = 16

TPE group, N = 62

Group difference

P value

Sig.

QMGS: Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Scale; TPE: therapeutic plasma exchange; NS: non significant; S: significant; HS: highly significant; IQR: inter-quartile range. ^aindependent t-test; ^bMann-Whitney test.

Initial QMGS score

Mean ± SD

24.14 ± 2.00

25.66 ± 3.85

-1.537^a

0.125

Range

21 - 27

18 - 34

QMGS score after 1 month

Mean ± SD

26.37 ± 3.20

18.05 ± 4.14

7.828^a

< 0.0001

Range

22 - 32

11 - 30

QMGS change

Median (IQR)

8 (0 - 14.27)

-26.68 (-41.36 to -17.67)

-6.406^b

< 0.0001

Range

-4.17 - 38.1

-58.06 - 0

**Table 3.** Relation Between AChR Antibodies of the Studied Patients and QMGS Score
	AchR antibodies	Group difference	P value	Sig.
NS: non significant; S: significant; HS: highly significant; AChR: presence of acetylcholine receptor; IQR: inter-quartile range; QMGS, Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Scale. ^aIndependent t-test; ^bMann-Whitney test.
Initial QMGS score	Mean ± SD	22.33 ± 3.03	26.48 ± 3.75	-4.124^a	0.000	HS
	Range	18 - 27	19 - 34
QMGS score after 1 month	Mean ± SD	18.27 ± 2.43	18.00 ± 4.45	0.218^a	0.829	NS
	Range	15 - 22	11 - 30
QMGS change	Median (IQR)	-14.88 (-26.08 to -9.61)	-32 (-42.31 to -20.83)	-3.516^b	0.000	HS
	Range	-44.44 - 0	-58.06 - 0
Test value	4.674	9.938	-	-	-
P value	0.000	0.000

Table 3. Relation Between AChR Antibodies of the Studied Patients and QMGS Score

AchR antibodies

Group difference

P value

Sig.

Sero-negative group, N = 11

Sero-positive group, N = 51

NS: non significant; S: significant; HS: highly significant; AChR: presence of acetylcholine receptor; IQR: inter-quartile range; QMGS, Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Scale. ^aIndependent t-test; ^bMann-Whitney test.

Initial QMGS score

Mean ± SD

22.33 ± 3.03

26.48 ± 3.75

-4.124^a

0.000

Range

18 - 27

19 - 34

QMGS score after 1 month

Mean ± SD

18.27 ± 2.43

18.00 ± 4.45

0.218^a

0.829

Range

15 - 22

11 - 30

QMGS change

Median (IQR)

-14.88 (-26.08 to -9.61)

-32 (-42.31 to -20.83)

-3.516^b

0.000

Range

-44.44 - 0

-58.06 - 0

Test value

4.674

9.938

P value

0.000