Assessment of the relationship between COVID -19 and Guillain Barre syndrome: a single center pandemic experience

Abstract

Background & Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between COVID-19 infection/ vaccination and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and to compare clinical characteristics and functional outcomes between COVID-19-related and non-COVID-19 GBS patients. Method: The medical files of the patients who sought treatment with the diagnosis of GBS between March 2020 and July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into groups as COVID-19-related GBS (C-GBS) and non-COVID-19 GBS (NC-GBS). Demographic and clinical characteristics, neurological examination findings, treatment protocols, and outcomes, including functional status, ambulation level, independence in daily living activities, and anxiety-depression levels of the patients with GBS, were recorded. Results: A total of 25 patients were included in the study. GBS was found to be associated with COVID-19 in 9 (36%) patients. Among them, 5 (20%) patients developed GBS after COVID-19 infection and 4 (16%) after the COVID-19 vaccine. The latency between COVID-19 infection and the onset of GBS ranged from 7 to 60 days, and the latency between vaccination and the onset of GBS ranged from 3 to 60 days. The clinical presentation and features, disease severity, and electrodiagnostic patterns of C-GBS patients were similar to NC-GBS patients. Also, there was no significant difference between patients with C-GBS and NC-GBS regarding functional status, ambulation level, functional independence in daily activities, and anxiety-depression levels. Conclusion: GBS is not uncommon in COVID-19. In this study, 20% of GBS cases admitted to our hospital during the pandemic seem to be associated with COVID-19 infection and 16% with COVID-19 vaccination. However, clinical features and functional outcomes of C-GBS and NC-GBS cases are similar.