A clinical and electrophysiologic survey of childhood Guillain-Barré syndrome.
In this 16-year (1986-2001) retrospective study, 23 childhood patients were identified with Guillain-Barré syndrome. According to clinical and electrophysiologic findings, 18 patients manifested acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, 2 had Miller Fisher syndrome, 1 had axonal forms, and 2 were unclassified. Seasonal preponderance was evident in 39% of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome, developing the disease in the winter (November to January) with upper respiratory infection the most frequent preceding event. The most common manifestation was limb weakness, with various degrees of motor weakness in 22 patients. Bulbar involvement was the most common cranial palsy, and it was evident in 30% of the episodes. Only one of these progressed to mechanical ventilation during hospitalization. Altogether, approximately 61% of the episodes exhibited sensory symptoms. At a follow-up of 1 year or more, 20 patients recovered and 3 had residua. Furthermore, no fatality occurred in our study. Our study also demonstrates that the clinical course of childhood Guillain-Barré syndrome has a shorter recovery time as compared with an adult patient group. Therapeutic outcome is favorable for patients who receive prompt treatment.
Department of Pediatric Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Pi-Lien
PL
Hung
Wen-Neng
WN
Chang
Li-Tung
LT
Huang
Song-Chei
SC
Huang
Ying-Chao
YC
Chang
Chin-Jung
CJ
Chang
Chen-Sheng
CS
Chang
Kuo-Wei
KW
Wang
Ben-Chung
BC
Cheng
Hsueh-Wen
HW
Chang
Cheng-Hsien
CH
Lu
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons