Post-polio syndrome: epidemiologic and prognostic aspects in Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of post-polio syndrome (PPS) and identify predictors of its severity.


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.
Conde
M T R P
MT
School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Oliveira
A S B
AS
Quadros
A A J
AA
Moreira
G A
GA
Silva
H C A
HC
Pereira
R D B
RD
e Silva
T M
TM
Tufik
S
S
Waldman
E A
EA
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D003402:Creatine Kinase