title: Unintended plasma exchange therapy in poliomyelitis: difficulties in the differential diagnosis of paralytic poliomyelitis and polyradiculitis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Färkkilä
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kinnunen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hovi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iivanainen
mesh_terms: 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