There is a pressing need for a robust rating scale for ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG). Rating scales for myasthenia gravis (MG) research have a predominant focus on generalised disease. We present results of the first dedicated rating scale for OMG: the ocular myasthenia gravis rating scale (OMGRate). The OMGRate was developed through an international collaboration between neuromuscular and neuro-ophthalmology experts in OMG. It comprises two components: a physician- examination (OMGRate-e) and a patient questionnaire (OMGRate-q).. The OMGRate was prospectively validated in patients attending a neuro-ophthalmology clinic from April 2017 to October 2018. External validity and reliability of OMGRate were evaluated using validated MG rating scales: the Myasthenia Gravis Composite (MGC), the Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life (MG-QOL), and the ocular component from the Myasthenia Gravis Impairment Index questionnaire (MGII). Two hundred and eleven assessments were completed in 104 patients (67 males, mean age 55 y, range 18-86 y). There was very good external validity of the OMGRate: good correlation between OMGRate-e and MGC (r = 0.64, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.54-0.74, p < .0001); excellent correlation between OMGRate-q and MGII (r = 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.91, p < .0001) and good correlation between OMGRate and MG-QOL (r = 0.68, 95% CI 0.60-0.77, p < .0001). A higher correlation of OMGRate and MG-QOL compared with MGC and MG-QOL (r = 0.47, 95% CI 0.34-0.59, p < .0001) suggests that OMGRate is better able to capture significant QOL information in patients with OMG. It had excellent reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.83 (95% CI 0.67-0.92). Feedback from examiners and patients indicated that the OMGRate was easy to use. In conclusion, OMGRate is an easy-to-use, valid and reliable rating scale for monitoring the severity of OMG.
Keywords: Ocular myasthenia gravis; myasthenia gravis; rating scales; severity.
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