Spanish Study Ties Myasthenia Gravis to €4,500 Annual Productivity Loss per Patient
Updated
Updated · myastheniagravisnews.com · Aug 20
Spanish Study Ties Myasthenia Gravis to €4,500 Annual Productivity Loss per Patient
2 articles · Updated · myastheniagravisnews.com · Aug 20
Summary
Only 54.9% of 122 working-age adults with myasthenia gravis in Spain were employed, while 31.2% were on permanent work disability benefits and 43.2% said the disease had forced them to leave a job.
The study estimated reduced employment cost €549,292 a year across the sample—about €4,502 per person in 2024—based on employment rates 10.8 to 19.6 percentage points below the general Spanish population.
Refractory MG cut the probability of employment by 43.6 percentage points, while good self-rated health raised it by 34.9 points and higher education by 19.1 points.
Workplace support was limited: 78% said conditions were not adapted when symptoms worsened, 73.4% said managers lacked awareness of MG, and only 6.3% reported services to help them stay employed.
Researchers said the findings support better disease control, workplace accommodations and vocational support, noting the estimate excludes absenteeism and reduced productivity while on the job.