Gunilla Östlund, Lisbet Broman, Lars Werhagen , Kristian Borg
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Danderyd University Hospital, Building 39, 3rd floor, SE-182 88 Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: gunilla.ostlund@ki.se, gunilla.ostlund@ds.se
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-1985

Objective: To define and characterize responders and non-responders in a group of 124 patients with post-polio syndrome who received a single treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin.
Design: Open trial, prospective follow-up study.
Methods: Clinical examination and data from medical records. Short Form 36 (SF-36), Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) and visual analogue scale (VAS) measured quality of life, physical activity and intensity of pain, respectively. Data were obtained before treatment and at 6-month follow-up.
Results: Two responder groups were identified with the outcome SF-36 Vitality and 3 with Bodily pain, respectively. Forty-five percent were positive-responders, identified before treatment by reduced physical function, muscle atrophy in the lower extremities, higher levels of fatigue and pain, and a VAS pain score above 20. Negative-responders were identified by good physical function and mental health, lesser muscle atrophy in the lower extremities, and low levels of fatigue and pain.
Conclusion: Intravenous immunoglobulin is a biological intervention, and therefore it is important to be able to identify responders and non-responders. In order to maximize a positive outcome it is suggested that patients with a high level of fatigue and/or pain and reduced physical function are selected.