Guillain-Barré syndrome and its variants: a case of acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy in Jamaica.
This paper reports a case of a Jamaican young woman who experienced flaccid quadriparesis and bulbar weakness over a three-week period after a gastrointestinal illness. Nerve conduction studies confirmed an axonal type neuropathy consistent with the acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy variant of the Guillain-Barré syndrome. Recovery, although evident, was slow and was augmented after a course of intravenous immunoglobulin. The patient was discharged from hospital after three months but was re-admitted one week later and eventually succumbed to complications of the illness. This case serves as a reminder that Guillain-Barré syndrome is now the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis and should be considered early in all patients presenting with flaccid quadriparesis.
Department of Medicine, University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
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Fletcher-Peddie
Scarborough General Hospital, Signal Hill, Tobago. rose24_tt@yahoo.com.
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Alfred
Spanish Town Hospital, St Catherine, Jamaica.
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Penn-Brown
Department of Medicine, University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
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Gayle
Department of Medicine, University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
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Gilbert
Department of Medicine, University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
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V
Elliot
Department of Medicine, University Hospital of the West Indies;and Tropical Medicine Research Institute (Epidemiology Research Unit),The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
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Ferguson
D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009431:Neural Conduction; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology
D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors