Abstract
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory polyneuropathy. Typical presentation is one of ascending tetraparesis with aref lexia. Variant forms of GBS include ataxia and ophthalmoplegia with aref lexia; patients with preserved ref lexes may mislead the unwary. Diagnostic dilemmas may be solved with neurophysiology and lumbar puncture.
Emergency management requires assessment of airway, breathing and circulation. Regular monitoring of respiratory, and bulbar function is essential and any deterioration in neurological function should prompt treatment. Treatment with intravenous immunoglubulin shortens the length of illness.
[download-attachments container="div" style="list" display_icon="1" display_count="1" display__size="0"]
References
- Raphael J-C, Chevret S, Hughes RAC, Annane D. Plasma exchange for Guillain-Barré syndrome (Cochrane Review). 2001 Cochrane Library 2. Oxford.
- Hughes RAC, Raphael J-C, Swan AV and van Doorn PA. Intravenous immunoglobulin for Guillain-Barré syndrome (Cochrane Review). 2001 Cochrane Library 3. Oxford.
- Protocol for using Intravenous immunoglobulins. Available on the Association of British Neurology website at :www.theabn.org.uk
- GBS Society telephone number: 0800 374803 and the website address is www.gbs.org.uk
Request Permissions
To request copyright permission to republish or share portions of our works, please visit Copyright Clearance Center’s (CCC) Marketplace website by clicking the button below:
