Relationship Between Cerebrospinal Fluid Protein Levels and Electrophysiologic Abnormalities in Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein level is known to be elevated in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). This report correlates the degree of CSF protein elevation with the number of electrophysiologic abnormalities on nerve conduction study (NCS).

METHODS

We reviewed 38 patients admitted to our institution with a diagnosis of GBS and had both a measured CSF protein level and a NCS within 24 hours of each other.

RESULTS

CSF protein level correlates with the number of NCS demyelination criteria, as described by Cornblath, in patients with GBS.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective study is the first to demonstrate a relationship between the CSF protein level and the electrophysiologic abnormalities that accompany GBS.