Guillain-Barré syndrome in patients dying with COVID-19 in Italy: a retrospective study
Guillain-Barré syndrome in 4 COVID-19 deads
Authors
Elisa Colaizzo, Maria Puopolo, Dorina Tiple, Luana Vaianella, Nicola Vanacore, Alberto Milanese, Luigi Palmieri, Cinzia Lo Noce, Marco Canevelli, Alessia Perna, Graziano Onder, and the Italian National Institute of Health COVID-19 Mortality Group
Abstract
Introduction. We presented a four-case series of COVID-19 related deaths occurred in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) between February 2020 and January 2022 in Italy.
Methods. They were extracted from 8,436 medical charts of COVID-19 patients dying. All cases, ranged 48-73 years, showed classical GBS clinical onset – limb weakness, sensory deficits, hypoareflexia – and three of them were admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) for ventilator support.
Results. The cerebrospinal fluid showing albumin-cytological dissociation was performed in two cases. Nerve conduction studies supported the diagnosis in all cases. Interstitial pneumonia was documented by chest X-rays or CT scans in all cases: they were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and the drugs used for COVID-19 infection.
Conclusions. Although the mechanism of GBS onset is still unclear in COVID-19, fatal cases may be more frequent than other virus-related GBS, so that strictly monitoring in high-risk patients could dramatically decrease the mortality of GBS.
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