Is there a need for long-term follow-up in chronic idiopathic polyneuropathy?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long-term functional status and well-being in patients with chronic idiopathic polyneuropathy (CIP) in comparison to Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and healthy controls.


METHODS
Forty-two CIP and 42 GBS-patients were examined at median 5 and 6 years after disease onset and were compared with 50 healthy controls. The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Visual Analogue Scale for pain (VAS), Disability Rating Index (DRI) and Medical Outcome Study 36-item short-form health status scale (SF-36) were used. Variables at onset and symptoms at follow-up were correlated with outcome measurements in GBS.


RESULTS
Patients with CIP and GBS had more pain and disability than healthy controls. Additionally, CIP-patients were more fatigued than healthy controls. Patients with CIP were more fatigued [FSS 4.9 (SD 1.6) vs 3.8 (SD 1.8); P < 0.01] and disabled [DRI 4.1 (SD 2.3) vs 2.5 (SD 2.1); P = 0.05] than those with GBS. Physical functioning on the SF-36 was more impaired in CIP than GBS, compared with healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with CIP and GBS seem to develop persistent impairment on long-term functional status and well-being, more clearly in CIP, reflecting the importance of long-term follow-up in further disease management.
Rudolph
T
T
Department of Neurology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway. mokum99@online.no
Larsen
J P
JP
Farbu
E
E
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019468:Disease Management; D018450:Disease Progression; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome