Guillain-Barré Syndrome in an Elderly Patient as a Complication of COVID-19 Infection.

ABSTRACT

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an infection that mainly affects the respiratory system. It may present with fever, fatigue, dry cough, and dyspnea. In addition, numerous studies and case reports discussed those viruses showing their effects on the nervous system. In this report, we present a case of a 66-year-old Saudi man who had been recovering from symptoms related to coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) associated disease. He was presented with sudden progressive ascending weakness that started in the left leg, and it spread to involve both legs and then both arms, five days prior to hospitalization. Lumbar puncture and nerve conduction studies showed that the patient has an acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN) variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and supportive care. The patient was discharged after 15 days of hospitalization with clinical improvement. In conclusion, to our knowledge, this study investigated the first reported case of GBS in an elderly patient as a complication of COVID-19 infection in Saudi Arabia, with the most severe variant AMSAN. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, clinicians should consider GBS as a neurological complication of COVID-19, and therapy must be initiated. Further studies are needed to study the possible mechanism of GBS in patients with COVID-19 in the future.