Epidemiology and prognostic factors of inpatient mortality of Guillain-Barré syndrome: A nationwide population study over 14years in Asian country.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of inpatient mortality from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), which is a rare and potentially life-threatening polyradiculoneuropathy, in an Asian country, as there are few big-data studies regarding this topic.

METHODS

We obtained data regarding patients with GBS from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database admission records. We identified patients with a discharge diagnosis of GBS during 2000-2013 using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification code (357.0), and evaluated their baseline characteristics, clinical complications, and risk factors.

RESULTS

We identified 5469 patients with GBS, and the crude incidence of GBS was 1.71 per 100,000 person-years. The inpatient mortality rate was 1.61% (88/5469) and 55 deaths (62.5% of all deaths) occurred before day 19 of the hospitalization (mainly during the progressive phase). The predictors of inpatient mortality included older age, a greater comorbidity burden (especially catastrophic illness), endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, cardiac complications, and systemic infection. In contrast, patients who were admitted to a medical center or Neurology Department exhibited a higher survival rate.

CONCLUSIONS

This 14-year nationwide study included the largest analysis of Asian patients with GBS to date, and identified various prognostic factors that predicted inpatient mortality.