Poliomyelitis Survivors Research Articles

Post-Polio Syndrome Revisited

Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is characterized by recrudescence or worsening of motor neuron disease symptoms decades after recovery from acute paralytic poliovirus infection, i.e., poliomyelitis. PPS afflicts between 25% and 40% of poliomyelitis survivors and mimics motor neuron diseases (MNDs), such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), due to its selective impairment, degeneration, or death of motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord. Herein, we report a case of PPS in a 68-year-old man with a remote history of bulbar and cervical cord involvement by poliomyelitis, review the relevant literature, and contrast the salient histopathologic features that distinguish our case of PPS from ALS.

Functional exercise capacity in maximal and submaximal activities of individuals with polio sequelae.

Poliomyelitis is an infectious disease that can cause total paralysis. Furthermore, poliomyelitis survivors may develop new signs and symptoms, including muscular weakness and fatigue, years after the acute phase of the disease, i.e., post-polio syndrome (PPS). Thus, the objective was to compare the functional exercise capacity during maximal and submaximal exercises among individuals with polio sequelae (without PPS diagnosis), PPS, and a control group. Thirty individuals participated in three groups: a control group (CG, n = 10); a group of individuals with polio sequelae but without PPS diagnosis (PG, n = 10); and a PPS group (PPSG, n = 10). All participants underwent (i) a cardiopulmonary exercise test to determine their maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) and (ii) a series of functional field tests (i.e., walking test, sit-to-stand test, and stair climbing test). [Formula: see text]O2max was 30% lower in PPSG than in CG and PG. Regarding functional field tests, walking and stair climbing test performances were significantly different among all groups. The PPSG sit-to-stand performance was lower than CG. The sequelae of paralytic poliomyelitis impair functional exercise capacity obtained from maximal and submaximal tests, especially in patients with PPS. Furthermore, submaximal variables appear to be more negatively impacted than maximal variables.

Cerebellar remodelling decades after spinal cord insult: neuroplasticity in poliomyelitis survivors

The cerebellum integrates a multitude of motor and cognitive processes through ample spinal and supratentorial projections. Despite emerging evidence of adaptive neuroplasticity, cerebellar reorganisation in response to severe spinal insult early in life is poorly characterised. The objective of this study is the systematic characterisation of cerebellar integrity metrics in a cohort of adult poliomyelitis survivors as a template condition for longstanding lower motor neuron injury. A total of 143 participants, comprising 43 adult poliomyelitis survivors and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited in a prospective, single-centre neuroimaging study with a uniform structural and diffusion imaging protocol. First, standard voxelwise grey and white matter analyses were performed. Then, the cerebellum was anatomically segmented into lobules, and cortical thickness and grey matter volumes were evaluated in each lobule. The integrity of cerebellar peduncles was also assessed based on their diffusivity profiles. Compared to healthy controls, poliomyelitis survivors exhibited greater cortical thickness in lobules I, II, and III in the right hemisphere and in lobules VIIIA and VIIIB bilaterally. A trend of higher cortical thickness was also detected lobules I, II and III in the left hemisphere. Enhanced cerebellar peduncle organisation was detected, particularly within the middle cerebellar peduncles. Increased cerebellar integrity measures in poliomyelitis survivors are primarily identified in lobules associated with sensorimotor functions. The identified pattern of cerebellar reorganisation may represent compensatory changes in response to severe lower motor neuron injury in childhood and ensuing motor disability.

Phenotypic categorisation of individual subjects with motor neuron disease based on radiological disease burden patterns: A machine-learning approach

Motor neuron disease is an umbrella term encompassing a multitude of clinically heterogeneous phenotypes. The early and accurate categorisation of patients is hugely important, as MND phenotypes are associated with markedly different prognoses, progression rates, care needs and benefit from divergent management strategies. The categorisation of patients shortly after symptom onset is challenging, and often lengthy clinical monitoring is needed to assign patients to the appropriate phenotypic subgroup. In this study, a multi-class machine-learning strategy was implemented to classify 300 patients based on their radiological profile into diagnostic labels along the UMN-LMN spectrum. A comprehensive panel of cortical thickness measures, subcortical grey matter variables, and white matter integrity metrics were evaluated in a multilayer perceptron (MLP) model. Additional exploratory analyses were also carried out using discriminant function analyses (DFA). Excellent classification accuracy was achieved for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the testing cohort (93.7%) using the MLP model, but poor diagnostic accuracy was detected for primary lateral sclerosis (43.8%) and poliomyelitis survivors (60%). Feature importance analyses highlighted the relevance of white matter diffusivity metrics and the evaluation of cerebellar indices, cingulate measures and thalamic radiation variables to discriminate MND phenotypes. Our data suggest that radiological data from single patients may be meaningfully interpreted if large training data sets are available and the provision of diagnostic probability outcomes may be clinically useful in patients with short symptom duration. The computational interpretation of multimodal radiology datasets herald viable diagnostic, prognostic and clinical trial applications.

Propagation patterns in motor neuron diseases: Individual and phenotype-associated disease-burden trajectories across the UMN-LMN spectrum of MNDs

Motor neuron diseases encompass a divergent group of conditions with considerable differences in clinical manifestations, survival, and genetic vulnerability. One of the key aspects of clinical heterogeneity is the preferential involvement of upper (UMN) and lower motor neurons (LMN). While longitudinal imaging patters are relatively well characterized in ALS, progressive cortical changes in UMN,- and LMN-predominant conditions are seldom evaluated. Accordingly, the objective of this study is the juxtaposition of longitudinal trajectories in 3 motor neuron phenotypes; a UMN-predominant syndrome (PLS), a mixed UMN-LMN condition (ALS), and a lower motor neuron condition (poliomyelitis survivors). A standardized imaging protocol was implemented in a prospective, multi-timepoint longitudinal study with a uniform follow-up interval of 4 months. Forty-five poliomyelitis survivors, 61 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and 23 patients with primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) were included. Cortical thickness alterations were evaluated in a dual analysis pipeline, using standard cortical thickness analyses, and a z-score-based individualized approach. Our results indicate that PLS patients exhibit rapidly progressive cortical thinning primarily in motor regions; ALS patients show cortical atrophy in both motor and extra-motor regions, while poliomyelitis survivors exhibit cortical thickness gains in a number of cerebral regions. Our findings suggest that dynamic cortical changes in motor neuron diseases may depend on relative UMN and/or LMN involvement, and increased cortical thickness in LMN-predominant conditions may represent compensatory, adaptive processes.

Increased cerebral integrity metrics in poliomyelitis survivors: putative adaptation to longstanding lower motor neuron degeneration

BackgroundPost-polio syndrome (PPS) has been traditionally considered a slowly progressive condition that affects poliomyelitis survivors decades after their initial infection. Cerebral changes in poliomyelitis survivors are poorly characterised and the few existing studies are strikingly conflicting. ObjectiveThe overarching aim of this study is the comprehensive characterisation of cerebral grey and white matter alterations in poliomyelitis survivors with reference to healthy- and disease-controls using quantitative imaging metrics. MethodsThirty-six poliomyelitis survivors, 88 patients with ALS and 117 healthy individuals were recruited in a prospective, single-centre neuroimaging study using uniform MRI acquisition parameters. All participants underwent standardised clinical assessments, T1-weighted structural and diffusion tensor imaging. Whole-brain and region-of-interest morphometric analyses were undertaken to evaluate patterns of grey matter changes. Tract-based spatial statistics were performed to evaluate diffusivity alterations in a study-specific whiter matter skeleton. ResultsIn contrast to healthy controls, poliomyelitis survivors exhibited increased grey matter partial volumes in the brainstem, cerebellum and occipital lobe, accompanied by increased FA in the corticospinal tracts, cerebellum, bilateral mesial temporal lobes and inferior frontal tracts. Polio survivors exhibited increased integrity metrics in the same anatomical regions where ALS patients showed degenerative changes. ConclusionsOur findings indicate considerable cortical and white matter reorganisation in poliomyelitis survivors which may be interpreted as compensatory, adaptive change in response to severe lower motor neuron injury in infancy.

Effects of muscle strengthening and cardiovascular fitness activities for poliomyelitis survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

ObjectiveTo evaluate and assess the effectiveness of muscle strengthening and cardiovascular interventions in improving outcomes in poliomyelitis (polio) survivors.Data sourcesA systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for experimental and observational studies.Study selection and extractionScreening, data-extraction, risk of bias and quality assessment were carried out independently by the authors. The quality appraisal and risk of bias were assessed using the Downs and Black Checklist. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was followed to increase clarity of reporting.Data synthesisA total of 21 studies that met all the inclusion criteria were subjected to statistical analyses according to intervention (muscle strengthening or cardiovascular fitness). A random-effects metaanalysis showed a statistically significant effect for the exercise interventions favouring improvement in outcomes according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).ConclusionThis review provides further insight into the effects associated with muscle strengthening and cardiovascular interventions among polio survivors, and helps to further identify the current state of research in this area. Future research is needed, focusing on individualized approaches to exercise with polio survivors and specific exercise prescription recommendations, based on established frameworks, such as the ICF.LAY ABSTRACTPolio survivors are an ageing population and prone to functional decline. Multiple age-related diseases affect this population, in addition to Late Effects of Polio (LEoP). Exercise plays an important role in improving strength and overall cardiovascular fitness in these individuals, and clinicians face challenges when advising polio survivors on the optimal level of exercise to avoid producing pain and/or fatigue. Improvements in strength and cardiovascular fitness have the potential to translate into activities of daily living within this cohort. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis using a broad approach (i.e. including both experimental and observational studies) to capture and summarize the research to date regarding the role of muscle strengthening and aerobic conditioning exercise in polio survivors. This review provides valuable information for clinicians, which will help enable the development of specific exercise prescription appropriate to this population.

Corticomotor Excitability in Two Kinds of Motor Neuron Diseases: A Study on the Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Poliomyelitis Survivors.

To examine upper motor neuron functions comparatively in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and poliomyelitis survivors using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) methods. Single- and paired-pulse TMS with conventional methods and the triple-stimulation technique were performed by recording from the abductor digiti minimi and abductor pollicis brevis muscles in 31 patients with ALS, 18 patients with poliomyelitis survivors, and 21 controls. Nine patients were diagnosed as having postpoliomyelitis syndrome after a 6-month follow-up. Triple-stimulation technique and some of conventional TMS studies were able to distinguish ALS from both poliomyelitis survivors and controls. A reduced ipsilateral silent period in abductor pollicis brevis muscles was the only parameter to show a significant difference when comparing thenar and hypothenar muscles in ALS. No significant difference was present in any TMS parameters between the postpoliomyelitis syndrome and non-postpoliomyelitis syndrome groups. Conventional TMS and particularly triple-stimulation technique studies are helpful in disclosing upper motor neuron dysfunction in ALS. The results of this study might favor the cortical hypothesis for split hand in ALS, but they revealed no significant indication for upper motor neuron dysfunction in postpoliomyelitis syndrome.

P66-S Corticospinal function in poliomyelitis survivors

Background Poliomyelitis survivors (PS) become candidates to post-polio syndrome (PPS) in their later lives. The mechanism of PPS has been suggested to be multifactorial involving cortical, spinal and peripheral mechanisThe aim of this study was to evaluate TMS parameters in PS and to compare them with those of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and controls. Material and methods Single and paired TMS, contralateral and ipsilateral silent period (SP) and triple stimulation technique (TST) were performed by recording from abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscles of 18 PS, 31 ALS patients and 21 controls. The results were compared with mixed ANOVA and nonparametric independent tests. Results No significant difference was present for within and between subject factors except those for the different interstimuli intervals. Resting motor threshold and MEP/M% in ADM, MEP amplitudes and latencies and TST% in both ADM and APB were significantly different. In posthoc analyses, MEP latencies were higher and TST% were lower in both ADM and APB in ALS group (20.7 ± 4.2 ms, 22.4 ± 5.0 ms, 83.1 ± 42.2, 72.3 ± 29.9) as compared to PS (18.3 ± 1.0 ms, 19.2 ± 2.0 ms, 101.6 ± 15.9, 98.1 ± 14.9), MEP/M% in ADM were lower in PS group (56.0 ± 13.4) as compared to controls (85.2 ± 23.9). SPs, TST, MEP amplitudes and latencies and MEP/M amplitudes did not show any significant difference between ADM and APB in both patient groups. Conclusions Our results revealed upper motor neuron dysfunction in ALS compared to PS and may provide limited evidence about presence of an abnormal cortical drive to mostly uninvolved upper extremity muscles in PS.

P63-S Insidious neuromuscular deterioration in polio survivors demonstrated by CMAP scan analysis

Background This study aimed to explore the subtle motor unit(MU) changes in asymptomatic muscles of poliomyelitis survivors (PS) using CMAP Scan analysis. Material and method Nineteen PS cases and 21 controls were recruited. CMAP Scan recordings were obtained from asymptomatic thenar and hypothenar muscles. CMAP Scan parameters indicating nerve excitability [stimulus intensities producing 50%, 95% and 5% of the CMAP amplitude (SI%5, SI%50, SI%95), absolute range width (ARW) (SI%95-SI%5), relative width (RW) (SI95 − SI5)/SI5], all step parameters and D50 which reflect the MU motor unit loss and reinnervation were analyzed. The new motor unit number estimation (MUNE) method, MscanFit was also calculated. Results There were no significant differences in ages, maximum CMAP amplitudes and MScanFit MUNE between the groups. PS group median and ulnar D50 values (46.76 ± 10.98, 46.19 ± 12.42 respectively) were lower than control group (37.21 ± 17.37, 36.44 ± 11.99) (p Conclusions CMAP Scan can show reduced axonal excitability and reveal insidious MU loss and reinnervation in presumably unaffected muscles of PS, regardless of the decrease in CMAP amplitudes or a significant reduction in MUNE values.

Estimation of the Direct Cost of Poliomyelitis Rehabilitation Treatment to Pakistani Patients: A 53-Year Retrospective Study.

Pakistan is one of the last few countries in which poliomyelitis is endemic. Evidence indicates that out-of-pocket expenditures are a barrier to polio rehabilitation treatment, yet there are no reported figures related to the financial burden of this disease on patients in a recently polio-endemic country. This study investigated direct costs attributed to rehabilitation treatment of poliomyelitis among Pakistani patients and reported its duration along with the socioeconomic status of poliomyelitis survivors. The cost of poliomyelitis rehabilitation in Pakistan is high; it has an economic effect on the lives of patients and their families. Despite good education, polio survivors in Pakistan appear to have low socioeconomic status, lower chances of employment and marriage, as well as fewer children. Further research is recommended to explore the burden of disease on society, i.e., indirect costs and suffering.

A systematic review of the worldwide prevalence of survivors of poliomyelitis reported in 31 studies

BackgroundAccurate prevalence figures estimating the number of survivors of poliomyelitis (disease causing acute flaccid paralysis) following poliovirus infection are not available. We aim to undertake a systematic review of all...

Comparing Symptoms of Post-Polio Syndrome in Athlete and Non-Athlete Poliomyelitis Survivors

Comparing Symptoms of Post-Polio Syndrome in Athlete and Non-Athlete Poliomyelitis Survivors

Anesthesia and Poliomyelitis: A Matched Cohort Study.

Poliomyelitis is a viral infectious disease caused by 1 of the 3 strains of poliovirus. The World Health Organization launched an eradication campaign in 1988. Although the number of cases of poliomyelitis has drastically declined, eradication has not yet been achieved, and there are a substantial number of survivors of the disease. Survivors of poliomyelitis present a unique set of challenges to the anesthesiologist. The scientific literature regarding the anesthetic management of survivors of poliomyelitis, however, is limited and primarily experiential in nature. Using a retrospective, matched cohort study, we sought to more precisely characterize the anesthetic implications of poliomyelitis and to determine what risks, if any, may be present for patients with a history of the disease. Using the Mayo Clinic Life Sciences System Data Discovery and Query Builder, study subjects were identified as those with a history of paralytic poliomyelitis who had undergone major surgery at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 2005 and 2009. For each case, 2 sex- and age-matched controls that underwent the same surgical procedure during the study period were randomly selected from a pool of possible controls. Medical records were manually interrogated with respect to demographic variables, comorbid conditions, operative and anesthetic course, and postoperative course. We analyzed 100 cases with 2:1 matched controls and found that the peri- and postoperative courses were very similar for both groups of patients. Pain scores, postanesthesia care unit admission, length of postanesthesia care unit stay, intensive care unit admission, length of intensive care unit stay, and initial extubation location were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Looking at pulmonary complications in our primary outcome, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (17% vs 14% for polio versus control, respectively; conditional logistic regression odds ratio = 1.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.7-3.3; P = 0.33). In addition, no difference was noted in those requiring a code or rapid response team intervention (4% vs 3% for polio versus control; P = 0.46) and the 30-day mortality rate was also not significantly different, with 2% of polio patients dying compared with 3% of controls (P = 0.79). The analysis of the primary outcome was repeated for the subset of patients with a history of poliomyelitis who had persistent neurologic deficits preoperatively (n = 36) and their matched controls (n = 72). In this subset analysis, there were 4 (11%) polio patients and 8 (11%) control patients who experienced pulmonary complications (conditional logistic regression odds ratio = 1.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.27-3.72; P = 1.00). The percentage of patients experiencing specific pulmonary complications of interest was similar between groups (postoperative mechanical ventilation: 6% vs 8% for polio and control patients, respectively; prolonged mechanical ventilation: 0% vs 1%; reintubation: 8% vs 4%; pulmonary infection: 6% vs 6%; and aspiration: 0% vs 1%). This study suggests that patients with a history of poliomyelitis do not seem to have an increased risk of pulmonary complications in the perioperative period. However, an odds ratio as great as 3.3-fold may be present.

Treatment for postpolio syndrome.

Postpolio syndrome (PPS) may affect survivors of paralytic poliomyelitis and is characterised by a complex of neuromuscular symptoms leading to a decline in physical functioning. The effectiveness of pharmacological treatment and rehabilitation management in PPS is not yet established. This is an update of a review first published in 2011. To systematically review the evidence from randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials for the effect of any pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment for PPS compared to placebo, usual care or no treatment. We searched the following databases on 21 July 2014: Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Specialized Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL Plus. We also checked reference lists of all relevant articles, searched the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Database and trial registers and contacted investigators known to be involved in research in this area. Randomised and quasi-randomised trials of any form of pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment for people with PPS. The primary outcome was self perceived activity limitations and secondary outcomes were muscle strength, muscle endurance, fatigue, pain and adverse events. We used standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. We included 10 pharmacological (modafinil, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), pyridostigmine, lamotrigine, amantadine, prednisone) and three non-pharmacological (muscle strengthening, rehabilitation in a warm climate (that is temperature ± 25°C, dry and sunny) and a cold climate (that is temperature ± 0°C, rainy or snowy), static magnetic fields) studies with a total of 675 participants with PPS in this review. None of the included studies were completely free from any risk of bias, the most prevalent risk of bias being lack of blinding.There was moderate- and low-quality evidence that IVIg has no beneficial effect on activity limitations in the short term and long term, respectively, and inconsistency in the evidence for effectiveness on muscle strength. IVIg caused minor adverse events in a substantial proportion of the participants. Results of one trial provided very low-quality evidence that lamotrigine might be effective in reducing pain and fatigue, resulting in fewer activity limitations without generating adverse events. Data from two single trials suggested that muscle strengthening of thumb muscles (very low-quality evidence) and static magnetic fields (moderate-quality evidence) are safe and beneficial for improving muscle strength and pain, respectively, with unknown effects on activity limitations. Finally, there was evidence varying from very low quality to high quality that modafinil, pyridostigmine, amantadine, prednisone and rehabilitation in a warm or cold climate are not beneficial in PPS. Due to insufficient good-quality data and lack of randomised studies, it was impossible to draw definite conclusions about the effectiveness of interventions for PPS. Results indicated that IVIg, lamotrigine, muscle strengthening exercises and static magnetic fields may be beneficial but need further investigation to clarify whether any real and meaningful effect exists.

Hypertension and obesity among paralytic poliomyelitis survivors in Nigeria

Abstract Background Hypertension and obesity have been reported as prevalent cardiovascular risk indicators among poliomyelitis (polio) survivors in developed countries, but findings from developed countries may not be directly extrapolated to Nigeria because of racial and environmental differences. Objective This cross-sectional survey aimed at providing reference data on the prevalence of hypertension and obesity among polio survivors in Nigeria. Methods Resting blood pressure (RBP) and body mass index (BMI) in consecutively recruited participants were categorized using the British Hypertension Society Classification and the World Health Organization BMI Scale, respectively. Results A total of 252 (119 males, 133 females) participants were included in the study; mean age was 34.0 ± 9.1 years (range, 21–52 years) and polio was contracted at a mean age of 3.2 ± 2.2 years. Approximately 25% and 48% of the participants had hypertension and prehypertension, respectively. Overweight/obesity was present in about 41% of the participants. Prevalence of hypertension and obesity from this study were lower than values previously reported for populations in developed countries, probably due to the relatively younger age of participants. Prevalence of hypertension was, however, higher than the national average for the non-physically challenged adult Nigerians. Conclusion Cardiovascular health promotion should be emphasized among polio survivors in Nigeria.

Selective disruption of acetylcholine synthesis in subsets of motor neurons: A new model of late-onset motor neuron disease

Motor neuron diseases are characterized by the selective chronic dysfunction of a subset of motor neurons and the subsequent impairment of neuromuscular function. To reproduce in the mouse these hallmarks of diseases affecting motor neurons, we generated a mouse line in which ~40% of motor neurons in the spinal cord and the brainstem become unable to sustain neuromuscular transmission. These mice were obtained by conditional knockout of the gene encoding choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the biosynthetic enzyme for acetylcholine. The mutant mice are viable and spontaneously display abnormal phenotypes that worsen with age including hunched back, reduced lifespan, weight loss, as well as striking deficits in muscle strength and motor function. This slowly progressive neuromuscular dysfunction is accompanied by muscle fiber histopathological features characteristic of neurogenic diseases. Unexpectedly, most changes appeared with a 6-month delay relative to the onset of reduction in ChAT levels, suggesting that compensatory mechanisms preserve muscular function for several months and then are overwhelmed. Deterioration of mouse phenotype after ChAT gene disruption is a specific aging process reminiscent of human pathological situations, particularly among survivors of paralytic poliomyelitis. These mutant mice may represent an invaluable tool to determine the sequence of events that follow the loss of function of a motor neuron subset as the disease progresses, and to evaluate therapeutic strategies. They also offer the opportunity to explore fundamental issues of motor neuron biology.

Knowledge among physical education professionals about poliomyelitis and post-poliomyelitis syndrome: a cross-sectional study in Brazil.

BackgroundPost-poliomyelitis syndrome is a clinical condition that can affect poliomyelitis survivors with the onset of new symptoms several years after the acute disease. These symptoms include new muscular weakness, fatigue, pain, onset or aggravation of muscle atrophy, muscle cramps, onset or aggravation of pre-existing difficulties in accomplishing daily life activities, cold intolerance, sleep disorders, dysphonia or dysphagia, and respiratory deficiency. The treatment of post-poliomyelitis syndrome requires a multiprofessional health team because the rehabilitation procedures include lifestyle changes, physiotherapy, avoidance of secondary complications, and physical exercise. As physical exercise is prescribed by physical education professionals, the assessment of knowledge about post-poliomyelitis syndrome among these professionals is very relevant. The aim of this study was to evaluate poliomyelitis and post-poliomyelitis syndrome knowledge among physical education professionals in Brazil.MethodsWe invited participants with an academic degree in physical education (n = 217) to participate in this study. A self-administered survey (30 questions) was designed to probe knowledge about poliomyelitis and post-poliomyelitis syndrome. From the survey, we created a questionnaire to evaluate the performance of the professionals. The questionnaire was composed of 20 questions and a score was provided, varying from 0 (totally uninformed) to 20 (well informed).ResultsApproximately 73% of surveyed participants had never heard of post-poliomyelitis syndrome, and only 19.4% had received information about the disease. Among those surveyed, 61.8% did not know whether restriction of physical activities was warranted for people with poliomyelitis sequelae, and only 32.3% knew that physical exercise (especially intense exercise) should be limited for patients with sequelae of paralytic poliomyelitis.ConclusionThe findings of the present study indicate a critical need for improvement of knowledge about post-poliomyelitis syndrome among Brazilian physical education professionals.

Epidemiological Study and Clinical Characteristics of Poliomyelitis Survivors in Japan

Epidemiological Study and Clinical Characteristics of Poliomyelitis Survivors in Japan

Stroke Risk in Poliomyelitis Survivors: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Wu C-H, Liou T-H, Chen H-H, Sun T-Y, Chen K-H, Chang K-H. Stroke risk in poliomyelitis survivors: a nationwide population-based study. ObjectivesTo assess the prevalence and risk of stroke among adults with polio and controls. DesignA prospective, probability-sampling, 6-year population-based cohort study. SettingA National Health Insurance Research Database consisting of 316,355 randomly selected enrollees. The database is related to a National Health Insurance program with more than 22 million participants. ParticipantsAfter excluding patients under 40 years of age, polio patients (N=212) (mean age ± SD, 54.0±10.2y; 57.1% men) were identified from the database from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2008. For each polio patient, 2 age- and sex-matched patients were recruited as controls. Control patients did not have any neuromuscular diseases commonly found in childhood. The frequencies of patients with potential risk factors for stroke were assessed. InterventionNone. Main Outcome MeasureThe prevalence and the adjusted odds ratio of ischemic stroke among polio patients and the controls were estimated. ResultsPolio patients had a higher prevalence of stroke (10.8% vs 2.4%, P<.001) than the controls. Polio patients with hypertension had a much higher prevalence of stroke (23.0%). The risk of stroke was higher for polio patients compared with the controls, yielding an adjusted odds ratio of 4.17 (95% confidence interval, 1.84–9.45, P<.001). Polio was a significant risk factor for stroke independent from hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and cardiac diseases. ConclusionsAdults with polio had a high prevalence of ischemic stroke. Polio was an additional risk factor for stroke. Polio patients with hypertension might potentiate the risk of stroke. Developing a health promotion program, suitable for polio patients, to increase participation in activities and exercises may be essential, especially for polio patients with hypertension.