Myasthenia gravis in Spain: A survey of specialized neurologists to uncover unmet needs

Introduction: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disease that requires prompt diagnosis and management by neurologists. The challenges of MG management are associated with the diagnostic process and the selection of an effective form of therapy enabling long-term remission of the d...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cortés-Vicente, E, Casasnovas, C, Juntas, R, Sevilla, T, Pardo, J, de Rivera, FR, Sola, AG
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)
Repositorio:r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:r-iibsantpa_::01369ed45de26bc80730b04e70e1b7ce
Acceso en línea:https://iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com/Publicaciones/ProdCientif/PublicacionFrw.aspx?id=21323
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Myasthenia gravis
Unmet needs
Medical inquiries
Specialized care
Neurology
Descripción
Sumario:Introduction: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disease that requires prompt diagnosis and management by neurologists. The challenges of MG management are associated with the diagnostic process and the selection of an effective form of therapy enabling long-term remission of the disease. The objective of this study was to assess the state of MG in Spain to identify unaddressed needs in the clinical progression, diagnosis, and treatment approaches. Methods: A survey was distributed via email between 19 July and 25 October 2022 to neurologists belonging to the Spanish Society of Neurology. A comprehensive descriptive analysis was conducted on all collected data. Results: In total, 69 completed surveys, representing 64 Spanish hospitals, were analyzed and included in the results. The study identified that economic difficulties, such as departmental budgets, have led to a lack of access to antibody testing during diagnosis. Furthermore, corti-costeroids were found to achieve the best clinical response, despite also being associated with a higher frequency of adverse effects. The results show that 34% of patients with MG present active symptoms. Eighteen percent have symptoms that limit their daily activities. Additionally, 29% of patients have requested an unscheduled follow-up visit within the last year. Conclusions: Several areas present unmet needs in terms of improving access to diagnostic assays, residual disease burden in treated patients, and the management and diagnosis of MG. (c) 2025 Sociedad Espanola de Neurolog & imath;a. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/ 4.0/).