Guillain-Barre's syndrome associated with Plasmodium falciparum malaria: role of plasma exchange.

ABSTRACT

Guillain-Barre's syndrome (GBS) associated with malarial infection is a rare condition reported in the literature. We report a case of Plasmodium falciparum (PF) malarial infection with Guillain-Barre's syndrome complicated by respiratory failure and review of the literature. Our patient gradually improved after treatment with plasma exchange. Review of the literature showed 11 cases of GBS associated with malaria. Four of 8 patients with GBS associated with PF had respiratory failure, whereas, none of the patients with GBS associated with Plasmodium vivax (PV) developed respiratory failure. Three of four patients with respiratory failure died and one who survived was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. Our patient was the second case to survive after treatment with plasma exchange. The role of plasma exchange, the pathogenesis of malaria in GBS and the mechanism that induced more severe GBS in PF than in PV were discussed.