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Post Polio Syndrome - Management & Treatment in Primary

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Physiotherapy and <strong>Post</strong> <strong>Polio</strong> <strong>Syndrome</strong> 23<br />

discomfort due to cold <strong>in</strong>tolerance. The patient will compla<strong>in</strong> that their<br />

limbs are cold, and cold exposure produces weakness.<br />

Cardiorespiratory<br />

Reduced pulmonary function results from the virus affect<strong>in</strong>g the medullary<br />

respiratory centres, the muscles of respiration and the cranial nerves. 18<br />

It may be compounded by thoracic cage deformity, e.g. kyphoscoliosis,<br />

and obesity. As many as 42% of patients with prior polio may compla<strong>in</strong><br />

of new breath<strong>in</strong>g problems. 19<br />

Patients who required ventilatory support at polio onset and those<br />

with polio onset after 10 years of age are at higher risk of develop<strong>in</strong>g new<br />

breath<strong>in</strong>g problems, 18, 19 and also compla<strong>in</strong> of more fatigue. However,<br />

patients who did not require ventilation at polio outset may also develop<br />

new breath<strong>in</strong>g problems. One report found that 33% of ambulatory prior<br />

polio patients who were free from cardiorespiratory disease and did<br />

not have any significant chest wall <strong>in</strong>volvement at the outset of polio<br />

compla<strong>in</strong>ed of shortness of breath, and that those with shortness of breath<br />

had a significantly lower percent predicted FEV1 and FVC. 18 A patient’s<br />

cardiorespiratory status may appear normal at rest, but impairment cannot<br />

be ruled out unless formal exercise test<strong>in</strong>g has been carried out.<br />

The cardiorespiratory assessment should <strong>in</strong>clude a careful history,<br />

measurement of peak flow, oxygen saturation, and <strong>in</strong>terpretation of the<br />

results of pulmonary function tests.<br />

In patients compla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g of fatigue, morn<strong>in</strong>g headache, sleep<br />

disturbance, difficult arousal, daytime somnolence, impaired<br />

concentration, memory and irritability, chronic alveolar hypoventilation<br />

and sleep apnoea should be suspected and patients referred to respiratory<br />

specialists. 21<br />

Forced expiratory techniques such as cough<strong>in</strong>g and huff<strong>in</strong>g to assess a<br />

patient’s ability to expectorate secretions effectively should be assessed.<br />

In patients who are us<strong>in</strong>g ventilatory support, physiotherapists may be<br />

<strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> assess<strong>in</strong>g the patient’s and/or carer’s ability to apply and<br />

manage equipment. Ventilatory support may be <strong>in</strong> the form of oxygen<br />

therapy, non-<strong>in</strong>vasive positive pressure ventilation (oral, nasal or<br />

comb<strong>in</strong>ed), or <strong>in</strong> extremely rare cases, negative pressure body ventilation<br />

(the iron lung).<br />

PPS Mngt and Treat.<strong>in</strong>db 23 02/07/2007 16:07:50<br />

18, 20

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