Myasthenia Gravis and COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune disease affecting the neuromuscular junction, exhibits varying rates of COVID-19 infection across different studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to estimate the pooled prevalence of COVID-19 infection in individuals with MG. 

We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and gray literature, including references to the research published before October 2021. The total number of participants, the first author, the publication year, the country of origin, the number of MG patients, their symptoms, hospitalization rates, and deaths were all extracted as study data. 

Our literature search yielded 253 articles, of which 75 remained after removing duplicates. Finally, 18 articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of COVID-19 infection in MG cases was found to be 2% (95% CI, 1%, 3%; I2=85%, P<0.001). Additionally, the pooled prevalence of hospitalization among those with COVID-19 infection was 43% (95% CI, 26%, 60%; I2=97.6%; P<0.001), and the pooled prevalence of MG exacerbation was 33% (95% CI, 20%, 46%; I2=92.6%; P<0.001). 

In summary, this systematic review and meta-analysis reveal that the pooled prevalence of COVID-19 infection in individuals with MG is 2%.