Guillaín-Barré syndrome in adults: clinical, analytical and epidemiological manifestations of ten patients consecutively assisted in a single center

Abstract

Introduction: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a self-limited autoimmune disorder and it is regarded as the most frequent neuropathy.
Objective: the present study aimed to describe the clinical presentation, as well as the analytical and epidemiological characteristics in ten adult patients diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Method: 10 patients with diagnose of GBS were included in the study. We retrospectively revised epidemiological, clinical and para-clinical data, as well as the therapeutic modality used.
Results: seven patients were men. Age at diagnosis was 43.3 ± 17.3 years old. Time between the onset of symptoms and initiation of treatment was 13.6 ± 7.8 days. In all cases there was spine compromise and in four of them there was cranial compromise. Eight patients showed albumin-cytologic dissociation and patients who underwent nerve conduction studies (NCS) evidenced alterations mainly presenting demyelinating patterns on the axon.
A sub-group was found positive for antiganglioside and anti-cerebroside antibodies without their being connected to clinical presentation, severity, evolution or pattern in the NCS. Treatment was based on plasma replacement, intravenous immunoglobulin or both.
No correlation was found between the treatment applied and the clinical evolution upon being discharged. Upon leaving the hospital, 9/10 appeared to be recovered.
Conclusions:clinical, analytical and epidemiological characteristics are similar to those in other groups.
Infectious triggers were frequent. Time between the onset of symptoms and diagnose was long. Unlike anti-bodies search, clinical manifestations and NCS were useful diagnostic techniques. No differences were found in terms of the treatment applied.