Gender differences in Myasthenia Gravis in a neuromuscular reference center in Belgium

BACKGROUND: It is well known that scientific literature has a significant gender gap, as gender differences were not considered until very recently. Women were often excluded from studies, and even when included, the results are rarely analyzed separately by gender. This study aims to investigate gender-specific differences in patients with Myasthenia Gravis (MG) by segregating data from our cohort of patients in Antwerp (Belgium). METHODS: We analyzed the data of our previously published cohort of 163 patients with MG visited in the Antwerp University Hospital between 2019 and 2021, segregating the information by gender to observe any significant differences. RESULTS: The analysis revealed several notable gender-specific differences. Women experienced a delay in diagnosis of over one year more frequently than men. They also had dysarthria as presenting symptom more often than men. The MGFA scores at maximum severity were higher in women, who also reported more limitations due to the disease and required more treatments to control it. While some differences could be attributed to the younger onset of the disease in women, certain differences were independently influenced by gender. CONCLUSIONS: Women experience more limitations due to MG than men and may face a more severe disease course. These differences should be taken into account when determining follow-up and treatment strategies. Additionally, these findings highlight the importance of segregating data by gender in scientific studies to better understand gender-specific differences in disease presentation and management.