Gohar Ali, Shams Suleman.
Clinical presentation and outcome of patients presenting with Guillain Barre Syndrome.
J Postgrad Med Inst Jan ;20(2):164-9.

Objective: To identify the clinical features and outcome of Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) in patients presenting to general I. C. U. Material and Methods: This descriptive study was carried out on patients with the clinical evidence of GBS admitted in the General Intensive Care Unit of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, from January to December 2005. All those patients having sensory loss or in whom only legs were affected were excluded from the study. Each patient had a detailed interview and underwent complete neurological and systemic examination. After the confirmation of diagnosis of GBS, the treatment was started accordingly. Results: In this study 14 patients with GBS were treated. There were 13 (93%) male and 1 (07%) female. Ten (71.4%) were in the age range of 15-60 years. All (100%) patients presented with limb weakness. Numbness and paraesthesia was noted in 9 (64.28%) patients. Four (28.57%) patients presented with respiratory difficulty. Muscle weakness and absent reflexes were present in all patlents. Nine (64.1%) patients were offered conservative treatment and 4 (28.6%) patients were treated with assisted ventilation and 1 (07.1%) patient received lmmunoglobulins therapy. Four (28.6%) patients expired in ICU due to respiratory failure in spite of being on ventilator. One (07.1%) patient was taken to home by the attendant against medical advice. Conclusion: More males are affected than females. Limb weakness, respiratory muscles weakness and absent or diminished reflexes are the commonest clinlcal features. Hlgh mortality in this disease is associated with respiratory failure.

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