title: Poliomyelitis sequels in France and the clinical and social needs of survivors: a retrospective study of 200 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polio survivors in France are estimated at 50,000. This study aimed at describing their needs from their clinical and vocational conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of our physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) consultation activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and fifteen women/85 men, with a mean age of 51years±14.3 (17 to 82). Paralysis involved only one lower limb in 108 patients, the two lower limbs in 56 patients and only one upper limb in 4. At the time of the first consultation 137 patients had experienced functional worsening. The complaints were pain (105 subjects), fatigue (59) and new paresis (58). Only 25% had retired. Post-polio syndrome criteria were present in 46 subjects (23%). Patients who had contracted poliomyelitis in France (56%) differed from the other subjects with regard to age (58.4 versus 41.5), professional status and frequency of PPS (30.9% versus 12.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These polio survivors were not particularly aged and they had often experienced functional worsening. The evolution of their disease shall represent a public health issue over the decades to come.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine physique et de réadaptation, université Paris Diderot, UMR 8194 Paris Descartes, AP-HP, groupe hospitalier St.-Louis-Lariboisière-F.-Widal, 200, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris, France. Electronic address: alain.yelnik@lrb.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Yelnik
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andriantsifanetra
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bradai
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sportouch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beaudreuil
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dizien
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003446:Crutches; D004651:Employment; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: France; Poliomyelitis; Poliomyélite; Post-polio syndrome; Syndrome post-poliomyélite