Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Experience from a tertiary level hospital in Burkina Faso

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory disorder of peripheral nerves. This was a cross-sectional retrospective study of patients admitted to the neurology department of Yalgado Ouedraogo University Teaching Hospital for GBS from September 01, 2003 to July 31, 2020. Medical records were reviewed according to the clinical criteria of Asbury and Cornblath. Thirty-five patients with GBS were included in the study. Most of the patients were female gender (60%). The mean age of the patients was 27.9 years. The most common initial symptom was weakness in the extremities (91.4%) and paresthesia (42.9%). Motor deficit was progressive and symmetrical in 94.3% and ascending in all the patients (100%). The most common predisposing factors were pregnancy and post-partum in 10 (28.6%) patients. The pattern of paralysis was distal and proximal (42.9%), distal in (34.3%) and proximal (22.8%). Lumbar puncture was performed in 88.5%, and albuminocytologic dissociation of cerebro-spinal fluid was found in 42.3% of case. Routine nerve electrophysiology was performed in 17.14% of patients. GBS etiology has been undetermined in 77.1% of patients. The treatment was mainly based on steroids (80%) and vitamin therapy (65.7%). Supportive treatment consisted of physiotherapy (45.71%) and oxygen supplies (11.42%). The length of hospital stay was 21.25 days. The most common complication was pneumonia 17.14%). The mortality rate was 11.4%. Guillain Barre Syndrome is rare in Burkina Faso. Steroids are the main treatment with high mortality.