METABOLIC STUDIES IN PARALYTIC ACUTE ANTERIOR POLIOMYELITIS. III. METABOLIC AND CIRCULATORY EFFECTS OF THE SLOWLY OSCILLATING BED 1

Abstract

The third report of a series on metabolic studies in poliomyelitis describes results of a trial of the slowly oscillating (Sanders) bed in 8 patients, 4 during the acute and early convalescent phases, 2 during the convalescent phase and 2 during the chronic phase. Patients were oscillated for periods of 17 to 42 days, the daily period of oscillation averaging 17 hours. Oscillation did not retard the natural increase in Ca excretion occurring during the acute and early convalescent phases; during convalescent and chronic phases oscillation did not reduce negative Ca balance. No certain effect of oscillation was noted on numerous other metabolic indices. In all phases of poliomyelitis, if patients were largely confined to bed, they exhibited impairment in the mechanisms essential for adequate circulation in the erect position, as measured by tilt table tests. During periods on an oscillating bed, patients demonstrated definite improvement in these mechanisms, being able to tolerate a longer period of time in the upright tilted position before reaching critically low levels of pulse pressure. Skin temperature of the feet rose during several weeks of oscillation in two patients with impaired peripheral circulation in the chronic phase of the disease. No effect of oscillation was noted on other physiological measurements.