Differentiating post-polio syndrome from myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome

ABSTRACT

Background: Overlapping and concomitant symptoms among similar chronic illnesses have created difficulties for diagnosis and further treatment. Three such chronically fatiguing illnesses, Post-polio syndrome (PPS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) fall under this category.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine and distinguish between core symptoms found in these illnesses (i.e. muscle pain/weakness, fatigue or exhaustion, and autonomic symptoms) via three methods of analysis (DePaul Symptom Questionnaire 2 (DSQ-2), Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and machine learning techniques).

Results: Items assessing onset and severity for individuals who reported having PPS were found to have experienced an onset of PPS related symptoms roughly 30 years after the onset of Polio. Items found in the DSQ-2, SF-36 compared all illness groups and found that participants with ME/CFS were more functionally impaired across symptoms than those with PPS. Across all analyses, three domains most commonly differentiated the illnesses (neurocognitive, Post-exertional malaise, and neuroendocrine).

Conclusion: Examining functional impairment amongst chronically fatiguing illnesses using multiple methods of analysis can be an important factor in distinguishing similar illnesses. These findings support further analysis of analogous symptomatology among other chronic illnesses to assist in diagnosis.

KEYWORDS:

• Polio
• post-polio syndrome
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• myalgic encephalomyelitis
• fatigue
• chronic illness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [grant number HD072208].

Notes on contributors

Lauren Klebek

Lauren Klebek is a research assistant at the Center for Community Research at DePaul University.

Madison Sunnquist

Madison Sunnquist is a doctoral candidate in Clinical-Community Psychology at DePaul University as well as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center for Community Research.

Leonard A. Jason

Leonard A. Jason is a Professor of Psychology at DePaul University and has served as Director of the Center for Community Research since 2001.