Abstract
Introduction: Survivors of acute anterior poliomyelitis live with static neuromuscular sequelae of polio. In addition, some patients experience a syndrome of new or progressive disability, usually occurring decades after the disease itself. This syndrome, termed “post-polio syndrome” (PPS), has variable clinical manifestations. Case Report: We report the case of PPS in a 58-year-old patient, who after 55 years had paralytic poliomyelitis, developed new symptoms of fatigue, muscular atrophy, dyspnea, depression, difficulties in deambulation, muscular and joint pain. In addition, we use historical landmarks to compare and discuss the present case. Conclusion: Symptomatic relief and individualized rehabilitation strategies such as energy conservation and muscle strengthening exercise regimes are necessary. Despite a number of large clinical trials in PPS, no effective disease-modifying pharmacological treatments are currently available.
Highlights
Survivors of acute anterior poliomyelitis live with static neuromuscular sequelae of polio
Acute anterior poliomyelitis (AAP) can be defined as an endemic human disease caused by an enterovirus of worldwide distribution, which generally affects the lower limbs, in an asymmetric and disproportionate form
We report a case of a 58-year-old female, who reported that she presented AAP at 18 months of age
Summary
Survivors of acute anterior poliomyelitis live with static neuromuscular sequelae of polio. Acute anterior poliomyelitis (AAP) can be defined as an endemic human disease caused by an enterovirus of worldwide distribution, which generally affects the lower limbs, in an asymmetric and disproportionate form. It is characterized as a lower motor neuron disease with several functional implications, depending on the affected muscles. There are numerous reports of postpoliomyelitis syndrome, which can be defined by a set of signs and symptoms that generally occur after 30 to 50 years, at least 15 years after the acute poliomyelitis infection It is mainly characterized by three main symptoms: new muscle weakness, fatigue, pain; associated with other clinical manifestations [3, 4]. It occurs 30–35 years afterwards; delays of between 8 and 71 years have been recorded [1, 3, 4]
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