[Follow-up of chronic filariasis patients in Jinshan District, Shanghai from 2009 to 2011].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the prognosis of chronic filariasis patients who were nursed with the care methods recommended by WHO in Jinshan District, Shanghai. METHODS: The chronic filariasis patients who were nursed with the care methods recommended by WHO were followed up in Jinshan District from 2009 to 2011. The patients of Level 1 were followed up once a year; the patients of Level 2 and Level 3 were followed up twice a year. All the results were recorded into the standard questionnaires and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: By the end of 2011, there were 264 chronic filariasis patients, including 106 males and 158 females. There were 201 patients aged between 70 and 85 years old, accounting for 76.14% of the patients. Lymphedema was the most common symptom in the patients and 76.51% of the patients had it. From 2009 to 2011, the conducting rates of sanitary cleaning the limbs, elevation of the limbs, and exercises were 89.02%, 83.71% and 72.08%, respectively. The improvement rates were 6.54%, 10.95% and 14.77% each year, which had a statistically significant difference (chi2 = 18.359, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The care methods of chronic filariasis patients recommend by WHO really benefit the relief of lymphedema, and should be popularized.