Table 1:
Comparison of baseline variables between 2 groups
| Characteristics | Group 1 (n = 42) | Group 2 (n = 135) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years), mean ± SD | 46.36 ± 15.14 | 47.62 ± 14.60 | 0.628 |
| Gender, n (%) | 0.573 | ||
| Male | 20 (47.6) | 71 (52.6) | |
| Female | 22 (52.4) | 64 (47.4) | |
| BMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD | 23.52 ± 4.19 | 25.26 ± 3.75 | 0.012* |
| Duration of the disease (months), median (IQR) | 3 (2–13.25) | 4 (2–12) | 0.553 |
| Osserman classification, n (%) | <0.001* | ||
| I | 4 (9.5) | 57 (42.2) | |
| IIa | 2 (4.8) | 15 (11.1) | |
| IIb | 33 (78.6) | 61 (45.2) | |
| III | 3 (7.1) | 2 (1.5) | |
| Dose of pyridostigmine (mg), median (IQR) | 180 (180–180) | 180 (90–180) | 0.123 |
| Application of steroid hormone, n (%) | 0.939 | ||
| Yes | 8 (19.0) | 25 (18.5) | |
| No | 34 (81.0) | 110 (81.5) | |
| Application of immunoglobulin, n (%) | 0.044* | ||
| Yes | 5 (11.9) | 5 (3.7) | |
| No | 37 (88.1) | 30 (96.3) | |
| Application of plasma exchange, n (%) | 0.38 | ||
| Yes | 1 (2.4) | 1 (0.7) | |
| No | 41 (97.6) | 134 (99.3) | |
| Application of immunosuppressant, n (%) | 0.341 | ||
| Yes | 7 (16.7) | 15 (11.1) | |
| No | 35 (83.3) | 120 (88.9) | |
| History of myasthenic crisis, n (%) | 0.13 | ||
| Yes | 7 (16.7) | 7 (5.2) | |
| No | 35 (83.3) | 128 (94.8) | |
| Serum albumin (g/l), mean ± SD | 38.82 ± 3.18 | 40.73 ± 3.25 | 0.001* |
| Serum globulin (g/l), mean ± SD | 28.36 ± 6.53 | 24.99 ± 3.52 | <0.001* |
| Albumin to globulin ratio, mean ± SD | 1.42 ± 0.26 | 1.66 ± 0.27 | <0.001* |
| FVC (pred%), mean ± SD | 73.69 ± 12.31 | 97.37 ± 12.27 | <0.001* |
| FEV1 (pred%), mean ± SD | 68.54 ± 13.48 | 95.19 ± 13.62 | <0.001* |
| FEV1/FVC (%), mean ± SD | 77.89 ± 12.47 | 80.37 ± 7.55 | 0.228 |
| PEF (pred%), mean ± SD | 64.11 ± 15.31 | 90.55 ± 17.99 | <0.001* |
*
P < 0.05.
BMI: body mass index; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in the first second; FVC: forced vital capacity; IQR: interquartile range; PEF: peak expiratory flow; SD: standard deviation.