Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42488088›Full record

ArticleTherapeutic advances in rare disease

Patients' lived experience of thymidine kinase 2 deficiency: the online survey-based assessment of TK2d patient perspectives study.

Amel Karaa, Asha Hareendran, Katie Waller, Philip Yeske, Alexandra Morrison, Marnie Ross, Cristy Balcells

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Therapeutic advances in rare disease. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Amel KaraaMassachusetts General Hospital, Division of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 175 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5781-9824
Asha HareendranUCB, Slough, Berkshire, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4608-9747
Katie WallerThe Lily Foundation, Warlingham, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3015-8704
Philip YeskeUnited Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Alexandra MorrisonRare Disease Research Partners, Amersham, UK.
Marnie RossRare Disease Research Partners, Amersham, UK.
Cristy BalcellsUCB, Smyrna, GA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1396-5146

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Thymidine kinase 2 deficiency (TK2d) is an ultra-rare autosomal recessive mitochondrial disease characterized by progressive myopathy. Objectives: To understand patient experiences and the impact of TK2d on patient quality of life (QoL), and to explore support needs. Design: A cross-sectional international online survey. Methods: The survey for the Assessment of TK2d Patient Perspectives (ATP) study, co-created with patient advocates, included multiple-choice questions, verbal rating scales, and open free-text questions. Patients of all ages with a self-reported genetic diagnosis of TK2d were eligible to participate, either directly or through a caregiver proxy. The patient, caregiver proxy, or bereaved caregiver proxy answered questions on demographics, signs/symptoms, impacts on health-related QoL (HRQoL), support needs, healthcare resource use, and overall experience of living with TK2d. Quantitative data were summarized with descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Responses for 32 patients (24 patient and 8 caregiver proxy responses) were collected between September 2023 and February 2024. All patients experienced myopathic symptoms. The most frequently reported impact of TK2d was on patients' ability to perform basic activities of daily living (26/32), including difficulties in walking (22/32), eating/swallowing (19/32), and breathing (25/32). The proportions of patients reporting a moderate or severe impact of breathing and walking difficulties on HRQoL, and the proportions requiring medical devices, were higher for those with an earlier age of TK2d symptom onset (⩽2, vs >2 to ⩽12, or >12 years). For most patients, TK2d also had a negative impact on mood, social and leisure activities, and employment/education. Progressive loss of abilities, increasing dependency on others, and medical equipment use contributed to mental and emotional burdens. Conclusion: These quantitative and qualitative analyses of patients' lived experiences highlight the substantial, progressive, and wide-ranging burden of TK2d.

Indexed as

burdenpatient experiencequality of lifethymidine kinase 2 deficiency

Identifiers

PMID42488088
PMCPMC13389147

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.