[Physical therapy for four patients with severe axonal Guillain-Barré syndrome in acute stage].

We describe four male patients suffering from quadriplegia caused by axonal Guillain-Barré syndrome. They were diagnosed with axonal Guillain-Barré syndrome based on their clinical course and electrophysiological findings. Three patients had severe pain, two had marked elevation of serum creatine kinase, one had finger contracture, and two required mechanical ventilation. Two of the patients recovered during the period from nadir to discharge in the Hughes functional grading scale and Barthel index. A physical therapist should understand the characteristics of severe axonal Guillain-Barré syndrome in an acute stage, and consider the psychological status of the patients.