Unintended plasma exchange therapy in poliomyelitis: difficulties in the differential diagnosis of paralytic poliomyelitis and polyradiculitis.
During the recent polio epidemic in Finland, 3 patients were initially misdiagnosed as Guillain-Barré polyradiculitis, and 1 of them was treated with plasma exchange. The follow-up until 2 years showed no difference in the recovery between this patient and the 2 other poliomyelitis patients treated without plasma exchange. The importance of the differential diagnosis between acute poliomyelitis and acute Guillain-Barré polyradiculitis is emphasized. An evaluation scheme includes sequential physical and cerebrospinal fluid examinations, together with viral antibody determinations.
Färkkilä
M
M
Department of Neurology, University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Kinnunen
E
E
Hovi
T
T
Iivanainen
M
M
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy