The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in respiratory mechanics and gas exchange between polio survivors and healthy, age-matched controls during wakefulness and sleep. Polio survivors were divided into four groups. The first group included those who had evidence of respiratory muscle involvement originally (PRM) and the second group included those who had bulbar muscle involvement originally (PBM). The third and fourth groups had only limb involvement originally but were separated by absence (PSL) or presence of a scoliosis (PSS) at the time of their evaluation. Each subject completed baseline and one year follow-up measurements of lung volumes, diffusion, flow rates, respiratory muscle strength, central and peripheral chemoreflexes and arterial blood gases. Sleep measurements included a full respiratory polysomnographic study. Fifty polio survivors and 13 controls completed the study. The PRM and PSS groups had an elevated arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) (mean +/- SE 6.0 +/- 0.4 and 6.0 +/- 0.3 kPa, respectively), reduced vital capacity (2.8 +/- 0.3 and 2.9 +/- 0.3 l, respectively), reduced maximal inspiratory pressure (-5.9 +/- 0.7 and -5.4 +/- 0.8 kPa, respectively) and reduced maximal expiratory pressure (9.8 +/- 1.1 and 9.1 +/- 1.2 kPa, respectively), when compared with non-polio controls. During sleep PRM and PSS groups experienced a higher PaCO2 (6.5 +/- 0.5 and 6.7 +/- 0.4 kPa, respectively) and a lower arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) (89 +/- 4 and 86 +/- 3%, respectively). There were no differences among groups for diffusion, flow rates and chemoreflexes. All other polio survivors showed essentially normal respiratory function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Recently, several reports have emerged describing the long-term consequences of COVID-19 that may affect multiple systems, suggesting its chronicity. As further research is needed, we conducted a longitudinal observational study to report the prevalence and associated risk factors of long-term health consequences of COVID-19 by symptom clusters in patients discharged from the Temporary COVID-19 Hospital (TCH) in Mexico City. Self-reported clinical symptom data were collected via telephone calls over 90 days post-discharge. Among 4670 patients discharged from the TCH, we identified 45 symptoms across eight symptom clusters (neurological; mood disorders; systemic; respiratory; musculoskeletal; ear, nose, and throat; dermatological; and gastrointestinal). We observed that the neurological, dermatological, and mood disorder symptom clusters persisted in >30% of patients at 90 days post-discharge. Although most symptoms decreased in frequency between day 30 and 90, alopecia and the dermatological symptom cluster significantly increased (p<0·00001). Women were more prone than men to develop long-term symptoms and invasive mechanical ventilation also increased the frequency of symptoms at 30-days post-discharge. Overall, we observed that symptoms often persisted regardless of disease severity. We hope these findings will help promote public health strategies that ensure equity in the access to solutions focused on the long-term consequences of COVID-19.

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