Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment with prognosis for the first six months of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Somalia: Case series.

INTRODUCTION

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute, immune-mediated polyneuropathy that often leads to severe weakness. Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a proven effective treatment for GBS (class 1 evidence). The clinical course of GBS in individual patients is highly variable and difficult to predict.

METHODS

It is a retrospective observational study of 10 patients diagnosed with GBS by using nerve conduction studies and lumbar puncture.

RESULTS

Fifty percent of the patients were under 40 years old, and ninety percent were male; all but one were treated with IVIG; and forty percent of the total mEGOS obtained was less than 5. The average predicted probability of being unable to walk unaided after 4 weeks was 47.7%, the average predicted probability of being unable to walk unaided after 3 months was 17%, and the average predicted probability of being unable to walk unaided after 6 months was 8.05%.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients presenting with acute ascending weakness should be identified early, and early IVIG treatment for GBS improves disability as measured by The Modified Erasmus GBS Outcome Scale (mEGOS).