Long-term follow-up of patients with prior polio over a 17-year period.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Follow-up of the health of patients with prior polio over a 17-year period. DESIGN: Follow-up study. PATIENTS: Patients with prior polio. METHODS: The study questionnaire was answered in 1995 by 270 patients. In 2012 the questionnaire was sent again to the surviving patients. RESULTS: Of the patients who answered the questionnaire in 1995, 116 (40%) were still alive in 2012. The group of patients who had died was older, and had a mean age of 70 years in 1995. A total of 60 patients participated in the study by answering the questionnaire in both 1995 and 2012. Most of these patients (84%) reported that they felt progressively worse, with poor mobility and increased muscle weakness in 2012 compared with 1995, and more than half reported a lower quality of life in 2012. The number of wheelchair users had increased significantly. Furthermore, the patients experienced increasing problems with activities of daily living (ADL) function. CONCLUSION: More than half of the patients with prior polio had died between 1995 and 2012. These patients were, on average, older than patients surviving in 2012. When interviewed in 2012 most of the patients felt progressively worse, with poor mobility and increased muscle weakness.