Endogenous factors in poliomyelitis acuta anterior

Abstract

SummaryThe object of this study was to ascertain if endogenous factors might play a part in the appearance of paralysis with acuta anterior poliomyelitis.The investigation concerned 754 patients in Groningen and Drenthe (provinces of the Netherlands), affected by the disease during the years 1936-1951. First of all it appeared that the consanguinity percentage of the parents of the probandi was much higher than that of the average population the difference being significant (χ2 = 22,28; P: 〈0.001). Secondly we compared the number of connections of a group of 137 patients with a group of 591 patients and the number of connections of a control group of 137 persons with the group of 591 patients. As ignificant difference appeared to exist between the numbers observed. The third part of the research concerned the appearence of diseases with patients' relatives and the comparison of those with the diseases with relatives of a control group. Between the group of patients and relatives and the group of control cases and relatives a difference appeared to exist in this sense that in each case the group first-mentioned showed a “surplus” of diseases in comparision with the control group; the burdening of the poliomyelitis-group with these diseases showed a significant difference from that of the control group. Also in this case the comparison of several separate diseases showed significant differences. However this was not the case with all the diseases. Attention was paid to the twins who occurred in the group of 754 patients. The small number of twins, however, did not allow of any conclusion whatsoever.Finally the conclusion has been drawn, that endogenous factors exercise influence in the origin of paralysis with acute anterior poliomyelitis. The results of this investigation render it probable that we have to deal with a non-specific factor, viz. a greater vulnerability of the central nervous system for diverse diseases of which the increased susceptibility of the paralytic form of acute anterior poliomyelitis forms a part.This factor is inherited in a recessive way.