TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of intravenous immunoglobulin in patients with post-polio syndrome - An uncontrolled pilot study
AU - Kaponides, Georgios
AU - Gonzalez, Henrik
AU - Olsson, Tomas
AU - Borg, Kristian
PY - 2006/3
Y1 - 2006/3
N2 - Objective: To analyse changes in muscle strength, physical performance and quality of life during intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment in patients with post-polio syndrome. Design: Open clinical trial. Patients: A total of 14 patients (6 women, 8 men; mean age 57 years, range 43-67 years) were included in the study. Intervention: Treatment with 90 g IVIg (30 g daily for 3 days). Main outcome: Muscle strength, measured with dynamic dynamometry, muscle function, by means of performing the 6-minute walk test, and quality of life, analysed by means of the SF-36 questionnaire, were performed before and after treatment. Results: For quality of life there was a statistically significant improvement for all but one of the 8 multi-item scales of SF-36 when comparing data before and after treatment with IVIg. The multi-item scale most improved was Vitality. There was no significant increase in muscle strength and physical performance. Conclusion: Data indicate that IVIg may have a clinically relevant effect, with an improvement in quality of life. The effect may be due to a decrease in an inflammatory process in the central nervous system, which earlier has been reported in patients with past-polio syndrome after IVIg treatment. Since a possible placebo effect cannot be ruled out, a randomized controlled study is needed.
AB - Objective: To analyse changes in muscle strength, physical performance and quality of life during intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment in patients with post-polio syndrome. Design: Open clinical trial. Patients: A total of 14 patients (6 women, 8 men; mean age 57 years, range 43-67 years) were included in the study. Intervention: Treatment with 90 g IVIg (30 g daily for 3 days). Main outcome: Muscle strength, measured with dynamic dynamometry, muscle function, by means of performing the 6-minute walk test, and quality of life, analysed by means of the SF-36 questionnaire, were performed before and after treatment. Results: For quality of life there was a statistically significant improvement for all but one of the 8 multi-item scales of SF-36 when comparing data before and after treatment with IVIg. The multi-item scale most improved was Vitality. There was no significant increase in muscle strength and physical performance. Conclusion: Data indicate that IVIg may have a clinically relevant effect, with an improvement in quality of life. The effect may be due to a decrease in an inflammatory process in the central nervous system, which earlier has been reported in patients with past-polio syndrome after IVIg treatment. Since a possible placebo effect cannot be ruled out, a randomized controlled study is needed.
KW - Intravenous immunoglobulin
KW - Physical performance
KW - Post-polio syndrome
KW - Quality of life
KW - SF-36
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645120761&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/16501970500441625
DO - 10.1080/16501970500441625
M3 - Article
C2 - 16546773
AN - SCOPUS:33645120761
SN - 0036-5505
VL - 38
SP - 138
EP - 140
JO - Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
JF - Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
IS - 2
ER -