The usefulness of chief complaints to predict severity, ventilator dependence, treatment option, and short-term outcome of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome: a retrospective study

Factors Associated with Respiratory Insufficiency in Children with Guillain-Barré Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

 The risk factors for respiratory insufficiency in children with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) are poorly known. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with respiratory insufficiency in children with GBS.

METHODS

 This retrospective study included children diagnosed with GBS by pediatric neurologists and admitted at the Wuhan Children's Hospital and other hospitals from January 2013 to October 2022. The patients were divided into the respiratory insufficiency and nonrespiratory insufficiency groups according to whether they received assist breathing during treatment.

RESULTS

 The median (interquartile range) age of onset of 103 patients were 5 (3.1-8.5) years, 69 (67%) were male, and 64 (62.1%) had a history of precursor infection. Compared with the nonrespiratory insufficiency group, the respiratory insufficiency group showed more facial and/or bulbar weakness (p = 0.002), a higher Hughes Functional Grading Scale (HFGS) at admission (p < 0.001), and a shorter onset-to-admission interval (p = 0.017). Compared with the acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) subtype, the acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) subtype showed longer days from onset to lumbar (p = 0.000), lower HFGS at admission (p = 0.04), longer onset-to-admission interval (p = 0.001), and more cranial nerve involvement (p = 0.04). The incidence of respiratory insufficiency between AIDP and AMAN showed no statistical difference (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

 In conclusion, facial and/or bulbar weakness, HFGS at admission, and onset-to-admission interval were associated with respiratory insufficiency and might be useful prognostic markers in children with GBS.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in Guillain-Barré syndrome: A prognostic biomarker of severe disease and mechanical ventilation in Bangladesh

In addition to cellular and humoral immunity, inflammatory markers play an important role in the pathogenesis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and are used to predict prognosis in many autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to identify whether the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio in the early stages of GBS have prognostic value for severe disease, mechanical ventilation (MV) and poor long-term outcome. A prospective cohort study of 140 adult patients with GBS and 140 healthy controls (HC) was performed in Bangladesh during 2019-2022. Clinicodemographic characteristics of the patients were recorded, and hematological parameters were measured using an automated hematology analyzer. Median patient age was 35 (44-23) years; 71% were male; 88% were severely affected (GBS Disability Score> 3); 32% required MV. Patients had higher NLR than HC (P< .0001). Among patients, elevated NLR was associated with severe GBS and MV (P= .001 and <.0001, respectively) and moderately positively correlated with poor outcomes at 4 weeks (r = 0.423). Multiple logistic regression revealed NLR was an independent risk factor for severe GBS (OR = 5.2, 95% CI = 1.6-17.4) and MV (OR = 1.5 1.1-2.1). No significant association was observed between elevated NLR and the long-term outcome of GBS. Receiver operating characteristic curves revealed NLR cut-off values of ≥ 2.432 and ≥ 4.4423 predicted severe disease (sensitivity = 71%, specificity = 75%, AUC = 0.750, 95% CI = 0.651-0.849, P = .001) and MV (sensitivity = 65.9%, specificity = 81.7%, AUC = 0.804, 95% CI=0.724-0.884; P< .001). The NLR in the early stage of GBS may represent an independent prognostic factor of severe GBS and the requirement for MV.

Risk factors for the severity of Guillain-Barré syndrome and predictors of short-term prognosis of severe Guillain-Barré syndrome

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a neurological disorder characterized by paralysis. Identifying the severity, appropriate therapeutic method, and prognosis of GBS at an early stage is highly important. This study aimed to investigate the modifiable risk factors for the severity of GBS and consequent need for mechanical ventilation (MV) and to identify clinical predictive factors for poor short-term outcomes of severe GBS. 155 GBS patients who were admitted to the Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University during 2014–2020 were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, therapeutic and evolutionary data were collected and were then analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Our analytic data demonstrated that the significant clinical predictors of severe GBS were recent history of surgery, older age, cranial nerve impairment, and elevated levels of liver enzymes (p < 0.05). Furthermore, autonomic dysfunction, lower Medical Research Council (MRC) score at nadir, and elevated levels of liver enzymes were significantly associated with MV for severe GBS (p < 0.05), and lower MRC score at nadir and autonomic dysfunction remained significant predictors of MV in severe GBS (p < 0.05). Lastly, recent history of surgery, lower MRC score at admission and at nadir, requirement for MV, and pneumonia during hospitalization were significantly associated with the short-term outcome of severe GBS and that lower MRC score at admission and need for MV were confirmed to be predictors of poor short-term prognosis (p < 0.05). Of note, this study suggested that recent history of surgery is a predictor of severity in GBS patients and is associated with the poor short-term prognosis of severe GBS.

Albumin levels as a biomarker for second Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment in Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)

BACKGROUND

Patients with GBS may develop hypoalbuminemia following treatment with Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG), which is related to a poorer outcome. This report presents a patient with GBS and his clinical response to two courses of IVIG treatments in association with his albumin level.

CASE REPORT

A previously healthy 21-year-old male was admitted to the GICU due to GBS with severity grade 5 (required assisted ventilation). IVIG treatment was initiated. Over the next two weeks there was no clinical improvement and Albumin level dropped from 4.5 gr/dL to a nadir of 2.3 gr/dL. A second course of IVIG was initiated. After initiation of the second course the patient's albumin began rising to 3.0 gr/dL and a clinical improvement followed this rise. Subsequently, he was weaned from mechanical ventilation within a few days.

CONCLUSIONS

When considering a second course of IVIG treatment, serum albumin levels may be considered a biomarker as part of the decision algorithm.