Guillian Barre syndrome epidemiology presentation and outcome

Background Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) is most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis, affect peripheral nerves with distinctive features clinical, pathological and prognosis. Patient and methods this study is prospective of 60 patients admitted at al-kadymia teaching hospital from first January 2004 to end April 2009. Age includes 1 to ≤11 years. Diagnosis was by clinical examination and confirmed by CSF tests and nerve conduction velocity study. Results It was found that 32 patients were male and 28 were female. Cranial nerves involved in 30% of patients. Sensory symptoms found in 16%. CSF changes was seen in 85.5% patients. Antecedent events were found in 27 patients out of 60, 14 had history of upper respiratory tract infection 45%, 7 had gastroenteritis 11%, 6 patients had history of fever 3 weeks earlier 10% and 15 patients had complicated by respiratory failure managed by mechanical ventilators, During this study 4 patients had been died. Conclusions: Current study conclude about 45% of patients had history antecedent events in as upper respiratory tract infection , gastroenteritis and fever, so cerebrospinal fluid CSF cell in the majority of cases within normal range and mostly lymphocytes, Cranial nerves were affected in most patients without serious sequels so Steroid was not given to most of patients in our study without any significant effect on the course of disease , Hospitalization was range from 2 week to 4 week, Recovery was range from 4 to 12 week and Death rate was 6% .