Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 51-11 | Page 50

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L. V. Festvåg et al.
Table III. Physical characteristics, health-related symptoms and use of technical aids
Age at onset of polio, years (n  = 33/32/1,215), mean (SD)
Hospitalized acute phase (n  = 30/30/1,270), %
Acute moderate/complete paresis, %
Legs/hips (n  = 31/29/1,145)
Arms/shoulders (n  = 23/25/1,030)
Respiratory muscles (some/great) (n  = 21/22/943)
Present moderate/complete paresis, %
Legs/hips (n  = 29/32/1,151)
Arms/shoulders (n  = 23/25/1,030)
Respiratory muscles (some/great) (n  = 21/22/943)
Current use of technical aids a , %
Electrical wheelchair (n  = 25/32/1,023)
Manual wheelchair (n  = 21/23/996)
Assistive aids for hands/arms (n  = 20/26/985)
Respiratory aid (n  = 17/32/980)
Need for help with personal hygiene (n  = 26/24/1,099), %
Non-western immigrant Western immigrant
polio group (n  = 34)
polio group (n  = 32) Native Norwegian
polio group n  = 1,342) p-value
2.8 (2.1)
30.0 5.1 (1.3)
60.0 6.2 (5.8)
61.7
0.021
0.002
82.8
33.3
8.3 57.1
38.1
5.9 69.8
42.1
10.8
0.109
0.713
0.781
72.4
14.3
0 28.6
8.7
0 31.5
13.1
2.9
0.000
0.813
0.570
72.0
57.1
15.0
0
11.5 26.1
27.3
12.0
13.0
4.2 31.4
28.3
17.4
14.5
9.5
0.000
0.016
0.753
0.233
0.632
SD: standard deviation. Numbers of respondents (n) are given for each variable. a (when needed).
or complete paresis in the hips and legs in 72% of the
non-Western immigrant group, compared with 29% of
the Western immigrant group and 32% of the native
Norwegian group. A higher number in the non-Western
group also reported paresis in the legs in the acute
phase (Table III).
More than 90% in all 3 groups reported new muscu-
lar weakness and loss of muscle volume. New muscular
weakness was reported more often by women than by
men. It was reported to occur at a mean age of 27 years
in the non-Western immigrant group vs 48 and 46 years
in the Western immigrant and Norwegian polio groups,
respectively. In the non-Western immigrant group,
79% (vs 100% and 93% in the Western immigrant­
and Norwegian polio groups, respectively) reported
that they thought they had post-polio syndrome. This
occurred at the mean age of 34 years, in contrast to 53
and 48 years in the other 2 groups.
In the non-Western immigrant group, 72% reported
using a powered wheelchair, compared with 26% and
31% in the other 2 groups. More men than women re-
ported using a wheelchair. Use of a manual wheelchair
was reported more than twice as often in the non-Wes-
tern immigrant group (Table III). A similar proportion
in all groups (<20 %) received daily assistance from
the public health system, 43% in the non-Western
immigrant group reported that this help did not cover
their needs, compared to 30% in the Western immigrant
group and 21% in the native Norwegian group.
Differences in Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), pain,
body mass index (BMI), use of medication, smoking
and exercise in the immigrant and the native polio
groups, are shown in Table IV.
The non-Western immigrant group reported a mean
FSS score equivalent to severe fatigue, while the Wes-
tern immigrant and native Norwegian polio groups
reported significantly lower fatigue. The non-Western
immigrant group reported pain with significantly
higher intensity on the VAS scale. The non-Western
group used less medication and alcohol and 52% were
not satisfied with the treatment and follow-up of their
pain. Mean BMI was within the normal range in all
3 groups. The 2 immigrant groups were less satisfied
with their physical health than the native Norwegian
Table IV. Health-related characteristics of subjects with late effects of polio
Non-western immigrant Western immigrant Native Norwegian
polio group (n  = 34)
polio group (n  = 32) polio group (n  = 1,342) p-value
FSS (n  = 28/25/1,083), mean (SD)
Pain VAS scale 1–10 (n  = 33/31/1,241), mean (SD)
BMI (n  = 30/31/11,254), mean (SD)
Number of concomitant diseases (n  = 34/32/1,342), mean (SD)
Regularly use of medication, %
Analgesics (n  = 31/30/1,150)
Sleep medication (n  = 28/28/1,060)
Sedatives (n  = 27/27/994)
Unsatisfactory physical health (n  = 28/31/1,305), %
Daily smoking (n  = 33/32/1,283), %
Exercising rarely or never (n  = 32/30/1,248), %
Not satisfied with the help from public health system (n  = 21/20/615), %
5.5 (1.6)
6.9 (2.6)
26.3 (5.3)
1.6 (1.7) 5.1 (1.3)
6.3 (2.4)
25.0 (4.4)
3.1 (1.7) 4.7 (1.5)
5.3 (2.5)
26.8 (8.7)
2.0 (1.7) 0.011
0.000
0.498
0.000
61.3
17.9
14.8
56.7
9.1
68.8
42.9 73.3
35.7
22.2
58.1
18.8
50.0
30.0 71.9
35.3
19.8
41.3
12.0
52.7
20.5 0.423
0.161
0.770
0.046
0.444
0.189
0.032
SD: standard deviation. Numbers of respondents (n) are given for each variable. FSS: Fatigue Severity Scale; VAS: visual analogue scale; BMI total: body mass
index (weight/height 2 ).
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