[Follow-up of chronic filariasis patients in Jinshan District, Shanghai from 2009 to 2011].
OBJECTIVE
To understand the prognosis of chronic filariasis patients who were nursed with the care methods recommended by WHO in Jinshan District, Shanghai.


METHODS
The chronic filariasis patients who were nursed with the care methods recommended by WHO were followed up in Jinshan District from 2009 to 2011. The patients of Level 1 were followed up once a year; the patients of Level 2 and Level 3 were followed up twice a year. All the results were recorded into the standard questionnaires and analyzed statistically.


RESULTS
By the end of 2011, there were 264 chronic filariasis patients, including 106 males and 158 females. There were 201 patients aged between 70 and 85 years old, accounting for 76.14% of the patients. Lymphedema was the most common symptom in the patients and 76.51% of the patients had it. From 2009 to 2011, the conducting rates of sanitary cleaning the limbs, elevation of the limbs, and exercises were 89.02%, 83.71% and 72.08%, respectively. The improvement rates were 6.54%, 10.95% and 14.77% each year, which had a statistically significant difference (chi2 = 18.359, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The care methods of chronic filariasis patients recommend by WHO really benefit the relief of lymphedema, and should be popularized.
Jinshan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 201599, China.
Li
L
Shen
Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China.
Minm
M
Zhu
Jinshan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 201599, China.
Xue-hui
XH
Wei
Jinshan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 201599, China.
Zhang-fei
ZF
He
Jinshan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 201599, China.
Rui-fang
RF
Yu
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors