Predictive factors of prolonged mechanical ventilation, overall survival, and quality of life in patients with post-thymectomy myasthenic crisis

BACKGROUND: Thymectomy is the primary approach for the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG). This retrospective study aimed to identify the clinical and demographical features that may impact the duration of mechanical ventilation (DMV), the long-term survival, and the quality of life (QOL) in patients with post-thymectomy myasthenic crisis (PTMC). METHODS: We reviewed the patients who suffered from PTMC from June 2008 to November 2015. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to identify potential prognostic factors that may impact DMV and long-term survival. Spearman bivariate correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between DMV and QOL. Statistical powers were calculated. RESULTS: In total, 70 patients with PTMC were enrolled. Alcohol abuse, high scores of Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) classification and Clavien-Dindo classification were critical factors that remarkably delayed early extubation. High scores of Osserman’s classification, MGFA classification, and Clavien-Dindo classification predicted a poor prognosis in PTMC patients. Occupational skills and job status were observed to be negatively affected in PTMC patients. CONCLUSIONS: To decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation, we suggest alcohol abstinence before the operation, appropriate preoperative treatment to decrease MGFA classification, and greater attention to the treatment of postoperative complications. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12957-017-1209-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.