leptin and Postpoliomyelitis-Syndrome

A key feature of post-polio syndrome (PPS) is progressive loss of muscle strength. In other chronic diseases systemic inflammation has been linked to muscle wasting. In this study plasma TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and leptin levels were significantly increased in PPS-patients compared to healthy controls. There was however no association between these raised systemic levels of inflammatory mediators and long-term decline in quadriceps strength or other clinical parameters. In conclusion, there is evidence for systemic inflammation in PPS, yet the relationship with clinical deterioration remains tenuous.

Topics: Adult; Cohort Studies; Cytokines; Electromyography; Female; Humans; Leptin; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome; Walking

To determine (i) whether serum inflammatory markers TNFalpha, IL-1beta. IL-6, and leptin are increased in post-poliomyelitis syndrome (PPS) compared to healthy controls; and (ii) whether an association exists between elevated inflammatory markers and clinical parameters in PPS. The cause of PPS is unknown, but abnormal inflammatory responses have been implicated in several small studies.. Serum inflammatory markers were measured (by Luminex) in 51 PPS patients and 26 normal controls. Clinical parameters assessed included disease duration, muscle strength (Medical Research Council sumscore), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory), and pain (visual analog scale scores).. In PPS, TNFalpha levels, as well as IL-6 and leptin were significantly increased compared to controls (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, p=0.03 for TNFalpha, p=0.03 for IL-6, p=0.01 for leptin). The elevated TNFalpha levels in PPS were associated with increased pain due to illness (Spearman correlation coefficient r=0.36, 95% C.I. 0.09 to 0.57) and specifically, with muscle pain (r=0.38, 95% C.I. 0.11 to 0.59). There were no correlations between inflammatory markers in PPS and joint pain, muscle strength, fatigue, or disease duration.. Serum TNFalpha, IL-6 and leptin levels are abnormally increased in PPS patients. Elevated TNFalpha levels appear to be specifically associated with increased muscle pain.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Cohort Studies; Cytokines; Fatigue; Female; Humans; Leptin; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Pain; Pain Measurement; Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome; Retrospective Studies; Severity of Illness Index; Statistics, Nonparametric