Effectiveness of Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Management of Pain in Patients with Postpolio Syndrome

Objective. Many patients with postpolio syndrome (PPS) experience pain. In this study, we aimed to review previous studies to investigate the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for managing pain in patients with PPS. We performed a narrative review. Methods. In PubMed, we searched for the keywords ((Immunoglobulin OR IVIG) AND (poliomyelitis OR poliomyelitis syndrome)). We included articles in which IVIG was infused in patients with PPS and pain severity was measured before and after treatment. Results. In the results, five articles (4 randomized controlled trials and 1 prospective observational study) were included in this review. Four of the studies reported that IVIG had a positive pain-reducing effect in patients with PPS. In addition, 4 studies evaluated the outcomes related to muscle strength and function. Of these studies, 3 showed some improvement in measurements for muscle strength and function. Conclusion. In conclusion, IVIG might be one of the beneficial options for managing pain in PPS. Pain reduction might be responsible for the improvement of muscle strength or function. To confirm the benefits of IVIG in reducing pain, more high-quality studies are required.

Alive Still

Nell’s fiftieth solo exhibition opened at the Fischbach Gallery in 1991. Her late-life projects ranged from illustrating a book of poetry by the late Marge Piercy to calling the governor of Virginia in an effort to stay the execution of a convicted rapist and murderer. During the 1990s, Nell’s health problems included eye disease and breast cancer as well as postpolio syndrome. The increasing curvature in her back tired her and made sitting at an easel painful. But she carried on anyway, often painting flower still lifes. This chapter briefly discusses her style with reference to flower paintings by other twentieth-century artists, including Mondrian, Hartley, Bonnard, Monet, Ellsworth Kelly, and Georgia O’Keeffe. Her last Gloucester painting, Rock Shadows (1995), hints at closure while embodying a sense of the continuous rhythms of life. Nell died on November 14, 1996. The following January, artist and writer friends gathered at her memorial.