Enterovirus 71 infection-associated acute flaccid paralysis: a case series of long-term neurologic follow-up

Abstract

The authors undertook long-term neurologic outcomes of 27 patients aged 0 to 15 years with enterovirus 71-related acute flaccid paralysis from June 1998 to July 2012. Motor function outcome was graded from class I (complete recovery) to class V (permanent paralytic limbs). Twelve of 20 patients (60%) who received intravenous immunoglobulin for treatment of acute flaccid paralysis had motor function outcomes in classes III to V. The median duration of follow-up was 6 months, during which time 7 of 13 patients (54%) with central nervous system infection, 3 of 6 patients (50%) with autonomic nervous system dysregulation, and 3 of 8 patients (37%) with heart failure showed motor function outcomes in classes III to V. These findings suggested that the usage of intravenous immunoglobulin and the severity of disease staging at disease onset might not be able to predict long-term motor function outcomes.

Keywords: acute flaccid paralysis; enterovirus 71; motor function outcome.