Clinical features in Guillain-Barré syndrome with anti-Gal-C antibody

Abstract

Introduction: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has often been associated with antibodies to glycolipids, such as galactocerebroside (Gal-C), a component of myelin. Whether patients who have GBS with anti-Gal-C antibody (Gal-C-GBS) more often have demyelinating neuropathy or axonal neuropathy remains controversial. Their clinical features have also been unestablished.

Methods: We enrolled 47 patients with Gal-C-GBS. Their clinical and electrophysiological data were retrospectively reviewed and compared to 119 patients with GBS without anti-Gal-C antibody (non-Gal-C-GBS).

Results: Demyelinating polyneuropathy occurred 4 times more frequently than axonal polyneuropathy in patients with Gal-C-GBS, but without statistical significance compared to patients with non-Gal-C-GBS (2.2:1). Patients with Gal-C-GBS had more frequent sensory deficits, autonomic involvements, and antecedent Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection than patients with non-Gal-C-GBS.

Conclusions: This is the largest study clarifying the clinical and electrophysiological findings that more frequent sensory deficits, autonomic involvements, and antecedent MP infection are associated with Gal-C-GBS.

Keywords: Anti-glycolipid antibody; Axonal neuropathy; Demyelinating neuropathy; Electrophysiological study; Galactocerebroside; Guillain–Barré syndrome; Mycoplasma pneumoniae.