The role of life events in the myasthenia gravis outcome: a one-year longitudinal study

We examined 51 patients suffering from myasthenia gravis (MG) and studied the relevance of stressful life events in relation to the course of the disease. Life events were assessed by means of the Paykel's Interview for Recent Life Events. The stage severity of MG was assessed by means of the Osserman and Genkins scale, twice per patient, at one year intervals. Simultaneously, life events were assessed for the 12 months preceding each of the 2 assessments of MG. Over the 2 MG evaluations 16 patients improved, 6 worsened and in 29 no change took place. Using life events data collected at the first interview, and applying a prospective design, no difference was found between patients who improved and those who remained unchanged or worsened. Life events reported at the second interview, as having occurred during the inter-assessment year, and collected according to a retrospective design, were significantly fewer in improvers than in non-improvers.