Treatment of patients with postpolio syndrome in a warm climate.
OBJECTIVE
Treatment in warm climate of various patient groups including patients with postpolio syndrome is controversial.


METHODS
Eighty-eight patients with postpolio syndrome (61 women) were recruited, stratified according to sex, age (above/below 60 years old) and use/not use of electrical wheelchair, and randomized to three groups. Group 1 (n=30) underwent treatment in a rehabilitation centre in Tenerife for four weeks in November/December 1999. Group 2 (n=29) were treated in two similar centres in Norway for the same period of time, while Group 3 (n=29), the control group, followed their ordinary health care programme. All patients were tested at the start of study, and 3 and 6 months later, including physical tests and several questionnaire and qualitative interviews. Patients in Group 1 and 2 were also tested after the rehabilitation period.


RESULTS
Group 1 and 2 improved significantly both in physical tests and subjective ratings. The positive effects in Group 1 tended to exceed the positive effects in Group 2, and the effects lasted longer. Six minutes walking distance in the two groups was 347 m and 316 m, respectively, before the treatment period, 429 m and 362 m immediately after, and 431 m and 356 m 3 months later. Subjective rating of pain (VAS-scale) was 42 and 43, respectively, before treatment, 17 and 31 immediately after, and 28 and 44 3-months later. In the control group, only minor changes were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The study seems to document a positive effect of treatment of patients with postpolio syndrome in warm climate.
Strumse
Y A S
YA
FOU, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, N-1450 Nesoddtangen, Norway.
Stanghelle
J K
JK
Utne
L
L
Ahlvin
P
P
Svendsby
E K
EK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001266:Atlantic Islands; D002980:Climate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology