Ethnicity and Age of Patients Hospitalized with Myasthenia Gravis: Unique Demographics in Hawaii (P5.076)

Objective: To examine demographics of patients hospitalized with Myasthenia Gravis in Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is known to be more prevalent among older people, and to have varied prevalence among different ethnicities. Hawai‘i has a very ethnically diverse population, and a relatively large older population. Methods: US Census data were evaluated for each state, and proportions of different ethnic and age groups were noted. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project state inpatient databases from 2010 through 2013 were queried for all hospital admissions for MG with and without crisis in every state for which data were available. Trends in specific ethnic groups and in the older population were evaluated. Results: Compared to other states, Hawai‘i has a larger proportion of people 65 years of age and older (14.96[percnt] in Hawai‘i vs 13.48[percnt] in other states, averaged over 4 years). However, a smaller percentage of patients hospitalized with MG are 65 or older in Hawai‘i (56.47[percnt]) compared to other states (61.79[percnt]). Hawai‘i has a larger Asian/Pacific Islander population (48.44[percnt]) compared to other states studied (5.73[percnt]). In all 4 years studied, a disproportionately large number of patients in Hawai‘i hospitalized with MG were either Asian or Pacific Islander (61.57[percnt]). In contrast, in other states studied, only 1.28[percnt] of admissions were Asian or Pacific Islander. Conclusions: Although age is a known risk factor for MG, and Hawai‘i has a large older population, the proportion of people hospitalized with MG who are older is less than would be expected compared to other states. Further, while in other states, the proportion of patients hospitalized with MG who are of Asian or Pacific Islander ethnicity tends to be less than the proportion of these ethnic groups in the state population as a whole, the opposite trend is true in Hawai‘i. Disclosure: Dr. Li has nothing to disclose. Dr. Takhar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Beckwith has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tahara has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ghaffari Rafi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sabugo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Miles has nothing to disclose.