Academic and Employment Status in Patients With Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab: A Case Series

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of treatment with eculizumab, a terminal complement inhibitor, on academic and employment status in patients with refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS: Case review of 7 US patients. RESULTS: Six patients were aged ≤65 years; one was a full-time student and the remainder were in employment before MG diagnosis. After diagnosis, all patients gave up work (n = 3) or reduced their study/working hours (n = 4). In the 12 months after eculizumab initiation, patients who had stopped work resumed working in some capacity, whereas those who had changed their work/study hours returned to their original work/study pattern. Patients also experienced a reduction in the number of MG exacerbations, and a clinically significant improvement in MG–Activities of Daily Living scores, and were able to reduce other MG medications. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that treatment with eculizumab may help maintain education/employment activity in patients with refractory generalized MG.