Guillain-Barre syndrome during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a case report and review of recent literature.
J Peripher Nerv Syst. 2020 May 10;:
Authors: Scheidl E, Canseco DD, Hadji-Naumov A, Bereznai B
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Acute demyelinating inflammatory polyneuropathy (AIDP) is the most common type of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Europe, following several viral and bacterial infections. Data on AIDP-patients associated with SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus-2) infection are scarce.
CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a 54-years-old Caucasian female patient with typical clinical and electrophysiological manifestations of AIDP, who was reported positive with PCR for SARS-CoV-2, three weeks prior to onset of the neurological symptoms. She did not experience a preceding fever or respiratory symptoms, but a transient loss of smell and taste. At the admission to our neurological department, a progressive proximally pronounced paraparesis, areflexia and sensory loss with tingling of all extremities were found, which began ten days before. The modified Erasmus Giullain-Barre Syndrome outcome score (mEGOS) was 3/9 at admission and 1/12 at day 7 of hospitalization. The electrophysiological assessment proved a segmental demyelinating polyneuropathy and cerebrospinal fluid examination showed an albuminocytologic dissociation. The neurological symptoms improved significantly during treatment with immunoglobulins.
INTERPRETATION: Our case draws attention to the occurrence of GBS also in patients with COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), who did not experience respiratory or general symptoms. It emphasizes that SARS-CoV-2 induces immunological processes, regardless from the lack of prodromic symptoms. However, it is likely that there is a connection between the severity of the respiratory syndrome and further neurological consequences. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID: 32388880 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]