Treatment for postpolio syndrome

Review question

What are the effects of different treatments in people with postpolio syndrome (PPS)?

Background

PPS is a condition that can affect polio survivors years after recovery from an initial paralytic attack by the polio virus. PPS is characterised by progressive or new muscle weakness or decreased muscle endurance in muscles that were previously affected by the polio infection and in muscles that were seemingly unaffected. Other symptoms may include generalised fatigue and pain. These symptoms often lead to a decline in physical functioning, for example trouble walking. The objective of this review was to assess the benefits and harms of different drugs and rehabilitation treatments compared to placebo (a pill or procedure without any physiological effect), usual care or no treatment.

Study characteristics

We searched scientific databases to find all studies on treatments for PPS up to July 2014. We found 13 studies involving a total of 675 participants that were of sufficient quality to include in this review. Ten studies evaluated the effects of drugs (modafinil, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), pyridostigmine, lamotrigine, amantadine, prednisone), and three studies evaluated other treatments (muscle strengthening, rehabilitation in a warm climate (that is temperature ± 25°C, dry and sunny) and a cold climate (that is temperature ± 0°C, rainy or snowy), static magnetic fields).

Key results and quality of the evidence

IVIg is a treatment in which antibodies that have been purified from donated blood are given as an infusion into a vein over a period of time. There was moderate- and low-quality evidence that IVIg has no beneficial effect on activity limitations in the short term and long term, respectively. Evidence for effectiveness on muscle strength was inconsistent, as results differed across studies. IVIg caused minor side effects in a substantial proportion of the participants.

Lamotrigine is a drug used to help control certain kinds of epilepsy and to treat bipolar psychiatric disorder. Results of one trial provided very low-quality evidence that lamotrigine might be effective in reducing pain and fatigue, resulting in fewer activity limitations, and in this study it was well-tolerated. We based these conclusions on results of only one small trial with important limitations in study design.

There was very low-quality evidence that muscle strengthening of thumb muscles is safe and beneficial for improving muscle strength. Again, we based these conclusions on results of only one small trial with important limitations in study design, and they are applicable only to thumb muscles.

Static magnetic fields is a therapy in which electrical currents are applied to the skin with the intention of reducing pain. There was moderate-quality evidence that static magnetic fields are safe and beneficial for reducing pain directly after treatment, although functional effects on activity limitations and long-term effects are unknown.

Finally, there was evidence varying from very low quality to high quality that modafinil, pyridostigmine, amantadine, prednisone and rehabilitation in a warm or cold climate are not beneficial in PPS.

Authors' conclusions: 

Due to insufficient good-quality data and lack of randomised studies, it was impossible to draw definite conclusions about the effectiveness of interventions for PPS. Results indicated that IVIg, lamotrigine, muscle strengthening exercises and static magnetic fields may be beneficial but need further investigation to clarify whether any real and meaningful effect exists.

Read the full abstract...
Background: 

Postpolio syndrome (PPS) may affect survivors of paralytic poliomyelitis and is characterised by a complex of neuromuscular symptoms leading to a decline in physical functioning. The effectiveness of pharmacological treatment and rehabilitation management in PPS is not yet established. This is an update of a review first published in 2011.

Objectives: 

To systematically review the evidence from randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials for the effect of any pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment for PPS compared to placebo, usual care or no treatment. 

Search strategy: 

We searched the following databases on 21 July 2014: Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Specialized Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL Plus. We also checked reference lists of all relevant articles, searched the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Database and trial registers and contacted investigators known to be involved in research in this area.

Selection criteria: 

Randomised and quasi-randomised trials of any form of pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment for people with PPS. The primary outcome was self perceived activity limitations and secondary outcomes were muscle strength, muscle endurance, fatigue, pain and adverse events.

Data collection and analysis: 

We used standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration.

Main results: 

We included 10 pharmacological (modafinil, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), pyridostigmine, lamotrigine, amantadine, prednisone) and three non-pharmacological (muscle strengthening, rehabilitation in a warm climate (that is temperature ± 25°C, dry and sunny) and a cold climate (that is temperature ± 0°C, rainy or snowy), static magnetic fields) studies with a total of 675 participants with PPS in this review. None of the included studies were completely free from any risk of bias, the most prevalent risk of bias being lack of blinding.

There was moderate- and low-quality evidence that IVIg has no beneficial effect on activity limitations in the short term and long term, respectively, and inconsistency in the evidence for effectiveness on muscle strength. IVIg caused minor adverse events in a substantial proportion of the participants. Results of one trial provided very low-quality evidence that lamotrigine might be effective in reducing pain and fatigue, resulting in fewer activity limitations without generating adverse events. Data from two single trials suggested that muscle strengthening of thumb muscles (very low-quality evidence) and static magnetic fields (moderate-quality evidence) are safe and beneficial for improving muscle strength and pain, respectively, with unknown effects on activity limitations. Finally, there was evidence varying from very low quality to high quality that modafinil, pyridostigmine, amantadine, prednisone and rehabilitation in a warm or cold climate are not beneficial in PPS.