Key result
Symptomatic postpolio patients with new progressive muscle weakness did not show a significant decrease in measured muscle strength compared to asymptomatic patients over a 2.1-year follow-up.
Why the study?
Do postpolio patients with new progressive muscle weakness experience a more significant decrease in muscle strength over time compared to those without new complaints?
Cohort (n=56)
Do postpolio patients with new progressive muscle weakness experience a more significant decrease in muscle strength over time compared to those without new complaints?
Despite subjective complaints of new progressive muscle weakness and functional decline, symptomatic postpolio patients did not show a significant objective decrease in muscle strength over a 2.1-year follow-up compared to asymptomatic patients.
Subjective weakness in postpolio may not indicate objective decline; leaves open longer-term progression and monitoring needs.
Forty-three former polio patients now complaining of new progressive muscle weakness (symptomatic patients) plus 13 former polio patients without new neuromuscular complaints were included in the study. The symptomatic patients reported high frequencies of other neuromuscular complaints and a decline in their functional level. Most frequent complaints were general fatigue, low backache, and muscle pain (97.7%, 86%, and 79.1%, respectively) and a decline in the ability to walk (80%). In a prospective follow-up averaging 2.1 years, the muscle strength of 26 muscles in all four limbs of each patient was assessed by manual muscle testing and was also measured isometrically using a handheld dynamometer. During the follow-up period, we did not find a significant decrease in muscle strength in the symptomatic patients as compared to patients without new neuromuscular complaints.
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Ivanyi et al. (1996) conducted a cohort in Postpolio syndrome (n=56). New progressive muscle weakness vs. No new neuromuscular complaints was evaluated on Decrease in muscle strength. Symptomatic postpolio patients with new progressive muscle weakness did not show a significant decrease in measured muscle strength compared to asymptomatic patients over a 2.1-year follow-up.
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