ABSTRACT
The case of Guillain-Barré syndrome (acute inflammatory polyradiculoneuritis) in pregnancy reported here brings the total reported number to 35. The patient had plasmapheresis with no maternal or fetal complications. She did not require mechanical ventilation. This is only the fifth reported case of Guillain-Barré syndrome in the gravid patient involving plasmapheresis. There have been no controlled studies assessing the safety of plasmapheresis in the pregnant patient with the disorder. The possible risks of the procedure need to be weighed against the high maternal mortality rate in such a patient.
Subject(s)
Plasmapheresis , Polyradiculoneuropathy/therapy , Pregnancy Complications/therapy , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Maternal Mortality , Plasmapheresis/adverse effects , Polyradiculoneuropathy/mortality , Pregnancy , RiskABSTRACT
Stiff-man syndrome (SMS) is a rare disorder of the central nervous system characterized by painful involuntary stiffening of axial muscles accompanied by spasms. These are often precipitated by tactile or emotional stimuli, volitional movement, and startling noises. Until recently, little has been known about the pathogenesis of SMS. There is evidence now to support the hypothesis that SMS may be an autoimmune disease. This is leading to changes in the way this disease is diagnosed and treated. We describe two patients with SMS and review the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.
