Risk factors for post-polio syndrome among an Italian population: a case–control study

Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a clinical syndrome of new weakness, fatigue and musculoskeletal pain occurring in a variable proportion of polio survivors decades after acute disease. To date, several risk factors for PPS development have been reported, although the etiology of this disorder remains elusive. Using a case–control design, we aimed to assess risk indicators for PPS in a group of Italian polio survivors. Subjects with prior poliomyelitis attending the rehabilitation hospital of Malcesine, Italy, were the target population. Patients with PPS, diagnosed according to the European Federation of Neurological Societies criteria, served as cases, while patients not meeting diagnostic criteria for PPS were used as controls. All subjects were assessed through a structured questionnaire made of 82 questions and neurological examination. The association with investigated risk factors (sex, age at polio onset, age at onset of symptoms, extension and severity of polio, employment) was analyzed by the calculation of the odds ratio. A total of 161 out of 391 eligible patients met the adopted diagnostic criteria for PPS, giving a frequency of 41.2%. Symptoms most frequently complained by PPS patients were loss of muscle strength, loss of resistance, loss of muscle volume and generalized fatigue. Female gender, the presence of respiratory disturbance during the acute phase of polio and the use of orthoses and aids during the recovery and stabilization represented independent risk factors for PPS in the studied population.