ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of post-polio syndrome (PPS) and identify predictors of its severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 132 patients with PPS were selected at the Neuromuscular Disease Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of São Paulo. Descriptive analysis was carried out and predictors of PPS severe forms were investigated using an unconditional logistic regression. RESULTS: The average age at onset was 39.4 years. The most common symptoms were fatigue (87.1%), muscle pain (82.4%) and joint pain (72.0%); 50.4% of the cases were severe. The following were associated with PPS severity: a < or =4-year period of neurological recovery (OR 2.8), permanent damage in two limbs (OR 3.6) and residence at the time of acute polio in a city with more advanced medical assistance (OR 2.5). CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals should carefully evaluate polio survivors for PPS and be aware of the implications of muscle overuse in the neurological recovery period.
Subject(s)
Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome/diagnosis , Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome/epidemiology , Adult , Age of Onset , Brazil/epidemiology , Creatine Kinase/blood , Disability Evaluation , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome/blood , Prognosis , Regression Analysis , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to compare basal metabolic rate (BMR) of post-polio syndrome (PPS) patients with healthy individuals and to determine its correlation to body composition. BMR (kcal/day) was determined by indirect calorimetry and body composition by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. BMR was lower in the PPS patient group than in the control group, although it was similar in both groups when adjusted for body surface area, total body mass (TBM), lean body mass (LBM) and fat-free mass (FFM). PPS patients also showed reduced TBM, LBM and FFM in relation to controls. As muscle energy expenditure while at rest contributes only 20% to the BMR, a proportional reduction in BMR and FFM or LBM could suggest that muscle mass or other factors may interfere more than predicted. It was concluded that the prediction of BMR from the Harris-Benedict equation in PPS patients must be carefully reviewed.