Mohammed H Alanazy1, Sawsan S Bakry2, Afnan Alqahtani2, Norah S AlAkeel3, Naael Alazwary4, Afag M Osman5, Rania A Mustafa5, Talal M Al-Harbi6, Sameeh O Abdulmana6, Aimee C Amper6, Yousef Aldughaythir7, Abdulrahman S Ali7, Seraj Makkawi8,9,10, Alaa Maglan8, Loujen Alamoudi8, Feras Alsulaiman11, Majed Alabdali11, Aysha A AlShareef12, Ahmad R Abuzinadah12, Ahmed K Bamaga13. 1. Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, King Saud University Medical City and College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. mohalanazy@ksu.edu.sa. 2. Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, King Saud University Medical City and College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 3. College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 4. Department of Medicine, Security Forces Hospital Program, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 5. Department of Neurology, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 6. Neurology Department, Neuroscience Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital-Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. 7. Neurology Department, National Neuroscience Institute, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 8. College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 9. King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 10. Department of Medicine, Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 11. Department of Neurology, King Fahad Hospital of the University, Imam Abdulrhman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. 12. Internal Medicine Department, Neurology Division, Neuromuscular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine and King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 13. Pediatric department, Neuromuscular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine and King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy characterized by rapidly evolving weakness and areflexia, reaching nadir within 4 weeks. Data on the characteristic of GBS in Saudi Arabia are limited. This study aimed to describe the clinical, electrophysiological, and laboratory characteristics and outcome of a multicenter cohort of patients with GBS. METHODS: This is a retrospective multicenter nationwide study. Patients who had GBS, identified through Brighton Criteria, between January 2015 and December 2019 were included. Data collected included demographics, clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid profile, reported electrophysiological patterns, treatment, and outcome. Reported GBS subtypes were compared using chi-square, Fisher's exact, or Mann-Whitney U tests, as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients with GBS were included (men, 61.5%), with a median age of 38 (interquartile range, 26.25-53.5) years. The most commonly reported antecedent illnesses were upper respiratory tract infection (39.1%) and diarrhea (27.8%). All but two patients (98.7%) had weakness, 64.1% had sensory symptoms, 43.1% had facial diplegia, 33.8% had oropharyngeal weakness, 12.4% had ophthalmoplegia, and 26.3% needed mechanical ventilation. Cytoalbuminological dissociation was observed in 69.1% of the patients. GBS-specific therapy was administered in 96.8% of the patients, of whom 88.1% had intravenous immunoglobulin, and 11.9% had plasmapheresis. Approximately half of the patients were able to walk independently within 9 months after discharge, and a third regained the ability to walk independently thereafter. Death of one patient was caused by septicemia. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy was the most commonly reported GBS subtype (37.7%), followed by acute motor axonal neuropathy (29.5%), and acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy (19.2%). CONCLUSION: The clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcome of GBS in the Arab population of Saudi Arabia are similar to the international cohorts. The overall prognosis is favorable.
BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy characterized by rapidly evolving weakness and areflexia, reaching nadir within 4 weeks. Data on the characteristic of GBS in Saudi Arabia are limited. This study aimed to describe the clinical, electrophysiological, and laboratory characteristics and outcome of a multicenter cohort of patients with GBS. METHODS: This is a retrospective multicenter nationwide study. Patients who had GBS, identified through Brighton Criteria, between January 2015 and December 2019 were included. Data collected included demographics, clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid profile, reported electrophysiological patterns, treatment, and outcome. Reported GBS subtypes were compared using chi-square, Fisher's exact, or Mann-Whitney U tests, as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients with GBS were included (men, 61.5%), with a median age of 38 (interquartile range, 26.25-53.5) years. The most commonly reported antecedent illnesses were upper respiratory tract infection (39.1%) and diarrhea (27.8%). All but two patients (98.7%) had weakness, 64.1% had sensory symptoms, 43.1% had facial diplegia, 33.8% had oropharyngeal weakness, 12.4% had ophthalmoplegia, and 26.3% needed mechanical ventilation. Cytoalbuminological dissociation was observed in 69.1% of the patients. GBS-specific therapy was administered in 96.8% of the patients, of whom 88.1% had intravenous immunoglobulin, and 11.9% had plasmapheresis. Approximately half of the patients were able to walk independently within 9 months after discharge, and a third regained the ability to walk independently thereafter. Death of one patient was caused by septicemia. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy was the most commonly reported GBS subtype (37.7%), followed by acute motor axonal neuropathy (29.5%), and acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy (19.2%). CONCLUSION: The clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcome of GBS in the Arab population of Saudi Arabia are similar to the international cohorts. The overall prognosis is favorable.
Authors: Yared Z Zewde; Biniyam A Ayele; Hanna D Belay; Dereje M Oda; Meron A G/Wolde; Yohannes D Gelan; Fikru T Kelemu; Seid A Gugssa; Abenet T Mengesha Journal: Clin Neurophysiol Pract Date: 2022-02-24