title: The long-term prognosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome. Evaluation of prognostic factors including plasma exchange.
abstract: Fifty-two patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) were re-examined 1-14 years (median 7 years) after the initial onset of symptoms. At the follow-up 38 patients (73%) reported being completely symptom-free. Neurological examination revealed that 11 patients (21%) had motor and 16 patients (31%) had sensory signs, mainly distal in the lower limbs. One patient (2%) had cranial nerve signs. Fifteen patients (29%) had areflexia, generally of the ankle jerks. Severe pareses (high maximal disability grade), long duration of maximal symptoms and recovery were significantly associated with persistent disability. Age, sex, preceding infection, latency between infection and the onset of disease, weakness as an initial symptom, autonomic dysfunction, speed of progression, electro-physiological signs of axonal degeneration, cerebrospinal-fluid protein concentration and treatment with plasma exchange did not significantly influence the disability grade at follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Vedeler
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wik
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nyland
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000379:methods*; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome