P 238. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for fatigue in patients with post-polio syndrome

Abstract

Post-polio syndrome (PPS) develops about 20–40 years after acute paralytic poliomyelitis, and manifests with progressively deteriorating muscle strength and endurance. Here, we assessed whether frontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) improves central fatigue symptoms in patients with PPS. We enrolled 32 patients with a definitive diagnosis of PPS; 16 patients received anodal tDCS and the remainder sham tDCS. We evaluated changes induced by tDCS (1.5 mA, 15 min, daily for five days a week) on clinical scales (Short Form Health Survey, SF-36, Piper Fatigue Scale, PFS, Fatigue Severity Scale, FSS, 101-Point Numerical Rating, PNR-101), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, HRSD, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) and motor performance (six-min walk test and the endurance test) at baseline (T 0 ) and three weeks later (T 1 ). Scores for the SF-36 sub-items physical functioning, role physical, vitality and social functioning improved significantly more in patients who received tDCS (p). Anodal tDCS delivered for 15 min at 1.5 mA over the frontal areas improves fatigue symptoms in patients with PPS. tDCS could be a non-invasive and valuable new tool for managing central fatigue in patients with PPS.