[Guillain-Barré syndrome in childhood]

Abstract

Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is clinically well known since 1916. It can occur at any age. Its main characteristic is acute rapidly ascending flaccid paresis. It is a neuro-immunologic disorder with heterogeneous background. In Hungary we could not find reports about big paediatric population with GBS.

Patient and method: We analysed retrospectively the data of 38 children diagnosed and treated with GBS at the Neurological Department of Paul Heim Children's Hospital or at the Paediatric Department of St. László Hospital from January 2000 till April 2008. We analysed the clinical characteristics, seriousness of clinical signs, laboratory results, and electrophysiological features of them as well documented the preceding illness. We observed the effectiveness of our treatment; we measured the speed and time of the healing process and documented the residual clinical signs.

Results: 35 children could be classified as having acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), 2 as having acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) and 1 as Miller-Fisher syndrome. By those patients who at the very beginning did not show the characteristic clinical signs, electrophysiology helped in establishing the diagnosis. By one child spinal MRI with gadolinium supported our diagnosis. Those children, who lost their ambulation, got immunotherapy: intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) or plasmapheresis (PEX). Both method seemed to be effective. None of our patients died. All were cured. By five patients residual clinical symptoms could be found.

Conclusion: The disease process, the relative incidence of each subtype of GBS is nearly similar to that in Western Europe and North America according to the literature. By the currently used immune therapy most of the pediatric patients recover fully within a short time.