Frequency of upper respiratory tract infections in patients with myasthenia gravis compared to the general population

Abstract

IntroductionPatients with myasthenia gravis (MG) undergoing immunomodulating therapies are at an increased risk of serious infections. However, the risk of developing self-limited infections, particularly upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the frequency of URTI among patients with MG compared to the general population and to identify potential predisposing factors. MethodsA monthly questionnaire was administered to patients with MG and a control group over a period of 6 months. The questionnaire assessed the presence of URTI symptoms within the previous month. Statistical analysis was conducted using a chi-square or Fischer exact test, as appropriate. ResultsThe study included 161 participants (50 MG patients and 111 control subjects). The frequency of URTI was comparable between the MG group (70 %) and controls (82 %) (p = 0.09). Among patients with MG, a higher proportion of patients who received rituximab developed URTI (93 %) than those who did not (61 %), P = 0.04. ConclusionThe frequency of URTI was similar in patients with MG compared to the general population. Due to the small sample size and several other limitations, further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore associations between rituximab and URTI.