Guillain-Barré Syndrome and Variants

Abstract

Synopsis Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is characterized by rapidly evolving ascending weakness, mild sensory loss and hypo- or areflexia, progressing to a nadir over up to four weeks. Cerebrospinal fluid evaluation demonstrates albuminocytologic dissociation in 90% of cases. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) was the first to be recognized over a century ago and is the most common form of GBS. In AIDP, the immune attack is directed at peripheral nerve myelin with secondary by-stander axon loss. Axonal motor and sensorimotor variants have been described in the last 3 decades and are mediated by molecular mimicry targeting peripheral nerve motor axons. Besides the Miller-Fisher syndrome (MFS) and descending weakness, other rare phenotypic variants have been recently described with pure sensory variant, restricted autonomic manifestations and the pharyngeal-cervical-brachial pattern. It is important to recognize GBS and its variants due to the availability of equally effective therapies in the form of plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulins.

Detection of Campylobacter species in stool specimens from patients with symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis in South Africa

“…Most GBS cases are reported to be sporadic; however, a seasonal trend has been reported by some studies which describe a surge in the summer months according to Nachamkin et al [16], and Dimachkie and Barohn [3]. Studies describing the precise seasonal distribution of GBS are still lacking, however, summer peaks of GBS have been reported in China, Mexico, and Spain [4,16].…”

“…Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease associated with a history of a preceding bacterial or viral infection [1][2][3]. With polio almost eradicated globally, GBS has now become the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) with an annual incidence of 0.6-4.0 cases per 100000 population [4,5].…”

“…With polio almost eradicated globally, GBS has now become the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) with an annual incidence of 0.6-4.0 cases per 100000 population [4,5]. Campylobacter spp., particularly Campylobacter jejuni, have been described as one of the leading causes of human gastroenteritis [1][2][3][4][5]. Pathogenic features of C. jejuni influencing the development of GBS have been described, with C. jejuni infections reportedly constituting the majority of GBS cases [1][2][3][4][5].…”

“…Campylobacter spp., particularly Campylobacter jejuni, have been described as one of the leading causes of human gastroenteritis [1][2][3][4][5]. Pathogenic features of C. jejuni influencing the development of GBS have been described, with C. jejuni infections reportedly constituting the majority of GBS cases [1][2][3][4][5]. GBS, which develops after C. jejuni infection, has been investigated and reported in a number of studies, rendering characteristics of C. jejuni strains subject to renewed interest in association with the pathogenesis of GBS [4,[6][7][8][9].…”

Polyneuropathie im Alter

“…Die akute inflammatorische demyelinisierende Polyradikuloneuropathie (AIDP), nach den Erstbeschreibern als Guillain-Barré-Syndrom (GBS) bezeichnet, zeigt eine Zunahme der Inzidenz mit steigendem Alter [22] …”