Long-term disease history, clinical symptoms, health status, and healthcare utilization in patients suffering from Lambert Eaton myasthenic syndrome: Results of a patient interview survey in Germany

Figures & data

Table 1.  Characteristics of the study population.

n = 12	n (%)	Mean ± SD	Min–Max
Gender male/female	5 (41.7)/7 (58.3)
Comorbidities^a	11 (91.7)
Concomitant autoimmune diseases^a,b	5 (41.6)
Myasthenia gravis	2 (16.7)
Thyroid disorder	2 (16.7)
Rheumatoid arthritis	1 (8.3)
Diabetes type I or II	4 (33.3)
History of SCLC^a,c	3 (25.0)
Ex-smokers	9 (75.0)
Age, in years
Age at interview		66.7 ± 9.8	54–83
Age at LEMS diagnosis		57.1 ± 10.6	37–78
Age at onset of first LEMS symptoms		52.5 ± 14.0	29–77

^aPatient-reported information; ^bMyasthenia gravis, thyroid disorder, rheumatoid arthritis; ^cIncluding history of confirmed SCLC.

Figure 1.  Time course of LEMS: time from first onset of symptoms to first physician visit, time to explicit diagnosis and time between diagnosis and interview. Patients 7, 10, and 12 had a diagnosis of SCLC.

Figure 2.  Patient reported symptoms, graded by severity.

Figure 3.  Assessment of physical functioning at the time of the interview.

Figure 4.  Profile of the EQ-5D scores on the day of interview across domains by patient (1 = no problems, 2 = some problems, 3 = severe problems). Patients 7, 10, and 12 had a diagnosis of SCLC.

Figure 5.  EQ-5D utility scores and symptoms reported.

Table 2.  Utility index and VAS scores on the day of the interview and the 6-day follow-up period. Patients 7, 10, and 12 had a diagnosis of SCLC.

Patient (n = 12)	Utility index			VAS score
	Day of the interview Score	6-day follow-up period		Day of the interview Score	6-day follow-up period
		Mean	Min–Max		Mean	Min–Max
1	−0.06	0.00	−0.06–0.13	30	21	11–35
2	0.14	0.11	0.11–0.11	67	68	67–70
3	0.56	0.73	0.53–0.93	60	66	60–70
4	0.48	–	–	80	–	–
5	0.11	0.11	0.11–0.11	30	42	30–50
6	0.51	0.11	0.11–0.11	20	14	10–20
7	0.93	0.53	0.53–0.53	20	40	40–40
8	0.49	0.53	0.53–0.53	38	40	40–41
9	0.77	0.77	0.63–0.92	80	77	75–80
10	0.27	0.29	−0.05–0.52	50	49	40–60
11	−0.27	−0.08	−0.38–−0.01	39	40	20–40
12	0.10	0.24	−0.27–0.48	20	13	5–62

Table 3.  Combinations of drug treatment used in current treatment of LEMS.

n = 12	Number of patients,
Current drug treatment	n (%)
Total	12 (100.0)
3,4 DAP	5 (41.6)
3,4-DAP + pyridostigmine	1 (8.3)
3,4 DAP + corticosteroids	1 (8.3)
3,4-DAP + immunoglobulins	1 (8.3)
3,4-DAP + pyridostigmine immunoglobulins	1 (8.3)
3,4-DAP + pyridostigmine + corticosteroids + azathioprine + immunoglobulins	1 (8.3)
Pyridostigmine + corticosteroids	2 (16.7)