Acute Polyneuropathy in an Outpatient Context During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Brief Case Serie Report

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a well-established complication of infectious disease. So it is not surprising that several cases have been described during the actual SARS-CoV-2 infection pandemic. Most of the descriptions are patients suffering a severe GBS in the setting of a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. We described five patients with mild forms of COVID-19. After 2–4 weeks, these patients develop mild neurological symptoms. The clinical and neurophysiological studies supported a diagnosis of an acute polyneuropathy. Symptoms resolved without specific treatment and primary care physicians managed all patients outpatiently. Mild SARS-CoV-2 infection could associate mild neurological complications too. So patients complaining about mild neurological symptoms, a SARS-CoV-2 infection may be excluded. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42399-021-00855-x.

Clinical Features of Patients Referred to an Electroneurophysiology Laboratory After COVID-19 Infection: Retrospective Analysis

“…25 Similar findings have been described in a recent case series of five patients with mild neurological symptoms developing 2-4 weeks after a mild course of COVID-19 infection in whom neurophysiological findings supported a diagnosis of PNP. 26 In 4 out of 5 of the cases described, sensory and motor NCS were normal; however, an increase in F wave latency and absence of sympathetic skin responses were detected. 26 In another case series of 4 patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 infection with a history of DM, new onset of neuropathic symptoms including numbness in the feet and sensory neuropathy characterised by changes in vibration and heat sensation were diagnosed using quantitative sensory testing.…”

“…26 In 4 out of 5 of the cases described, sensory and motor NCS were normal; however, an increase in F wave latency and absence of sympathetic skin responses were detected. 26 In another case series of 4 patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 infection with a history of DM, new onset of neuropathic symptoms including numbness in the feet and sensory neuropathy characterised by changes in vibration and heat sensation were diagnosed using quantitative sensory testing. 27 There were some limitations to this study.…”

“…Two (14.3%) of the patients' had axonal PNP and were diagnosed with GBS, 12 (85.7%) had ENMG findings consistent with mixed type sensorimotor PNP. ENMG findings were normal in 42.1% (26) of the patients (Table 2).…”