Treatment of patients with postpolio syndrome in a warm climate

Treatment in warm climate of various patient groups including patients with postpolio syndrome is controversial.

Eighty-eight patients with postpolio syndrome (61 women) were recruited, stratified according to sex, age (above/below 60 years old) and use/not use of electrical wheelchair, and randomized to three groups. Group 1 (n=30) underwent treatment in a rehabilitation centre in Tenerife for four weeks in November/December 1999. Group 2 (n=29) were treated in two similar centres in Norway for the same period of time, while Group 3 (n=29), the control group, followed their ordinary health care programme. All patients were tested at the start of study, and 3 and 6 months later, including physical tests and several questionnaire and qualitative interviews. Patients in Group 1 and 2 were also tested after the rehabilitation period.

Group 1 and 2 improved significantly both in physical tests and subjective ratings. The positive effects in Group 1 tended to exceed the positive effects in Group 2, and the effects lasted longer. Six minutes walking distance in the two groups was 347 m and 316 m, respectively, before the treatment period, 429 m and 362 m immediately after, and 431 m and 356 m 3 months later. Subjective rating of pain (VAS-scale) was 42 and 43, respectively, before treatment, 17 and 31 immediately after, and 28 and 44 3-months later. In the control group, only minor changes were found.

The study seems to document a positive effect of treatment of patients with postpolio syndrome in warm climate.