[Acute polyradiculoneuritis in children: apropos of 71 cases].

The authors report a retrospective study of 71 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome in children. The sex ratio was 1.2/1 and the mean age 5.5 years. A history of infection preceded the polyradiculoneuritis in 50% of the cases. Sudden onset was observed in 65%. The mean duration of extensive phase was 6 days (1-20) and the mean duration of the maximum paralysis was 18 days (3-90). A quadriplegia was present in 30 cases, a severe respiratory involvement in 6 cases, a cranial nerve paralysis in 7 cases. An early raised cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration was found in 73%. The motility recuperation time was one month in 53%. A one year follow-up was obtained in 45 patients and 62% had completely recovered clinically. Four patients died, two from respiratory failure, one from autonomic neuropathy, and one from cerebral haemorrhage with associated idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Thirty-two children were followed-up during 3 years and more, 10 (31%) had residual deficits. The functional prognostic factors were the age, the duration of the extension phase and of the plateau phase.