Appearance of Guillain-Barré syndrome in patients during corticosteroid treatment.
Three patients developed acute Guillain-Barré syndrome while on steroid treatment. The first patient suffered from ulcerative colitis and developed Guillain-Barré syndrome when the steroid dosage was being tapered. Another patient with long-standing multiple sclerosis received steroids during relapse and the Guillain-Barré syndrome appeared while treatment was reduced. The third patient, with aqueductal stenosis and ventriculoatrial shunt, who received steroids when malfunction of the shunt was suspected, developed Guillain-Barré syndrome while steroids were being tapered. Based on the putative immune pathogenesis of inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, the occurrence of the syndrome in these patients could have been due to a selective effect of low-dose steroids on a specific, maybe suppressor lymphocyte subpopulation.
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011241:Prednisone