Fatigue in the patients with Myasthenia Gravis

CILJ ISTRAŽIVANJA: Cilj je ovog istraživanja utvrditi postoji li kod bolesnika s miastenijom gravis i osjećaj prekomjernog umora, a ne samo mišićnog zamora, koji dodatno utječe na svakodnevno funkcioniranje bolesnika. NACRT STUDIJE: Podaci su prikupljeni u ožujku 2016. godine u Udruzi oboljelih od miastenije gravis „Dodir anđela“ u Osijeku i na Klinici za neurologiju KBC-a Osijek. Ispitanici su upoznati s načinom i razlogom provođenja istraživanja te su vlastoručnim potpisom suglasnosti o sudjelovanju u istraživanju to i potvrdili. ISPITANICI I METODE: U uzorak je uključeno 35 ispitanika. Za analizu simptoma umora koristili smo upitnika umora ‒ Fatigue assessment Scale (FAS), a iz upitnika za demografske podatke konstruiran je poseban upitnik za potrebe istraživanja. Sedam pitanja odnose se na osnovna obilježja ispitanjika (spol, dob, bračni i radni status te s kim žive). REZULTATI: Rezultati su potvrdili hipotezu da postoji povezanost između miastenije gravis s razinom umora i funkcionalne onesposobljenosti. Analiom dužine trajanja bolesti i osjećaja umora uvidjeli smo da je većina bolesnika kraćeg trajanja bolesti imala osjećaj jače izraženog umora. Za razliku od dužine trajanja bolesti, niti spol, niti kronološka dob, niti stručna sprema ispitanika kao faktor nisu se pokazali značajnima u objašnjavanju umora ispitanika. Ispitanici s ili bez bračnog statusa također nisu imali razlika u iskazanom umoru na upitniku, što je i očekivano. ZAKLJUČAK: Ono što uvelike predstavlja problem ovim osobama je sama tjelesna aktivnost i napori koje ona iziskuje. Iako se ne može pronaći poveznica između uzročnosti pojave umora i načina života bolesnika. Naši zaključci o umoru kod bolesnika s miastenijom gravis u svakom bi pogledu bili valjaniji uz veći broj ispitanika. Oboljeli moraju prihvatiti sebe, sa svim tegobama i promjenama koje su nastupile te život preusmjeriti prilagodbi na novonastalu situaciju.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research is to determine whether patients suffering from Myasthenia gravis express feelings of fatigue along with feelings of muscle overstrain, which could significantly affect their everyday life. STUDY OUTLINE: The data was collected in March 2016 at the Association of persons suffering from Myasthenia gravis “Dodir anđela” in Osijek as well as at the Clinic of Neurology at Clinical Hospital Center Osijek. Participants were introduced to the objectives of the research and each of them signed informed consent before partaking in the research. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The research included 35 participants. Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) was used to determine the level of fatigue in participants. An additional survey was designed to account for the demographic data of the participants. Seven questions targeted the essential demographic data of the participants (sex, age, marital status and conjoined life). RESULTS: The results corroborated the hypothesis that there is a correlation between fatigue and muscles overstrain in patients suffering from Myasthenia gravis, which affects patients’ functional capabilities. The analysis of the length of the disease and feelings of fatigue indicated that the most patients who suffer from Myasthenia gravis for shorter period of time express stronger feelings of fatigue. Other parameters such as conjoined life, sex, age or education did not seem to be significant factors in determining the level of fatigue od patients suffering from Myasthenia gravis. CONCLUSION: The cause of problems for patients suffering from Myasthenia gravis is the inability of physical activity, even though it seems there are not any obvious connections of the sensation of fatigue and the way of life of the patients. The conclusions of this study would be more representative if there had been larger number of participants. People suffering from Myasthenia gravis have to accept their disease, themselves and all the difficulties and changes that the disease brings. They have to concentrate on adjusting to new ways of life