COVID-19-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome in the early pandemic experience in Lombardia (Italy).

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and describe clinical characteristics and outcome of GBS in COVID-19 patients (COVID19-GBS) in one of the most hit regions during the first pandemic wave, Lombardia. METHODS: Adult patients admitted to 20 Neurological Units between 1/3-30/4/2020 with COVID19-GBS were included as part of a multi-center study organized by the Italian society of Hospital Neuroscience (SNO). RESULTS: Thirty-eight COVID19-GBS patients had a mean age of 60.7 years and male frequency of 86.8%. CSF albuminocytological dissociation was detected in 71.4%, and PCR for SARS-CoV-2 was negative in 19 tested patients. Based on neurophysiology, 81.8% of patients had a diagnosis of AIDP, 12.1% of AMSAN, and 6.1% of AMAN. The course was favorable in 76.3% of patients, stable in 10.5%, while 13.2% worsened, of which 3 died. The estimated occurrence rate in Lombardia ranges from 0.5 to 0.05 GBS cases per 1000 COVID-19 infections depending on whether you consider positive cases or estimated seropositive cases. When we compared GBS cases with the pre-pandemic period, we found a reduction of cases from 165 to 135 cases in the 2-month study period in Lombardia. CONCLUSIONS: We detected an increased incidence of GBS in COVID-19 patients which can reflect a higher risk of GBS in COVID-19 patients and a reduction of GBS events during the pandemic period possibly due to a lower spread of more common respiratory infectious diseases determined by an increased use of preventive measures.

Follow-up of a large population of asymptomatic/oligosymptomatic hyperckemic subjects.

Six years before the present study we performed a retrospective study of 114 subjects presenting with asymptomatic / oligosymptomatic hyperckemia (raised creatine kinase blood levels), a diagnosis being made in 21 of them. We now present the results of a long-term follow-up in 55 of the still undiagnosed 93 individuals. Most of them have remained asymptomatic and did not develop specific neuromuscular disorders. One subject became frankly symptomatic manifesting limb-girdle weakness. A diagnosis of dystrophinopathy carrier and one of possible type I SMA carrier were indirectly made in another two subjects. Almost all subjects still have hyperckemia, though the mean creatine kinase (CK) value is lower than before. CK levels have become normal in 12 subjects. Two died of neoplasia, and six developed non-neuromuscular disorders. We noted no follow-up differences in terms of CK modifications between subjects with pathological EMG and/or muscle biopsy findings and those with normal findings at first examination.