Guillain-barre syndrome clinical profile and the efficacy of immunoglobulin therapy

ABSTRACT

A retrospective study was performed to report the results obtained with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy with Guillain-Barre syndrome, and to look at the clinical profile and outcome of those patients. the clinical profile of 26 patients with proved Guillain-Barr'e syndrome were reviewed, all were admitted to the Pediatric department at King Hussein Medical Center. Amman, Jordan over the period from June 1988-June 1997. The presenting complaints, neurological examination, cerebrospinal fluid and neurophysiological studies and follow up assessment were analyzed. It has been shown that the male to female ratio is 1.61.0, all patients presented with flaccid symmetrical ascending paralysis with loss of deep tendon reflexes. Twelve patients [46.1%] had sensory manifestations, 10 patients [38.4%] developed cranial nerves palsy, and 6 patients [23%] had autonomic involvement, CSF measurement of protein in the first 10 days of the illness was high in 17 patients [65.3%] and normal in 9 patients [34.6%]. Nerve conduction of all patients showed demyelization polyneuropathy of varying severity, 3 patients [11.53%] developed permanent motor neurological deficit, one patients [3.8%] died. Immunoglobulin was given to 12 patients [46.1%] and it showed their efficacy at a dosage of 0.4 gm/kg/day for 5 days. Guillain-Barre syndrome has a good prognosis and mortality and morbidity rates are comparative to rates in other studies. Treatment with immunoglobulins is easy, safe and morbidity is lower