Abstract
This study investigated treatment characteristics of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in a real-world setting between 2000 and 2019. We analyzed clinical improvement between nadir and last follow-up in patients with severe GBS (defined as having a GBS disability scale > 2 at nadir) and aimed to detect clinical factors associated with multiple treatments. We included 121 patients (74 male; median age 48 [IQR 35–60]) with sensorimotor (63%), pure motor (15%), pure sensory (10%) and localized GBS (6%) as well as Miller Fisher syndrome (6%). 44% of patients were severely affected. All but one patient received at least one immunomodulatory treatment with initially either intravenous immunoglobulins (88%), plasma exchange (10%) or corticosteroids (1%), and 25% of patients received more than one treatment. Severe GBS but not age, sex, GBS subtype or date of diagnosis was associated with higher odds to receive more than one treatment (OR 4.22; 95%CI 1.36–13.10; p = 0.01). Receiving multiple treatments had no adjusted effect (OR 1.30, 95%CI 0.31–5.40, p = 0.72) on clinical improvement between nadir and last follow-up in patients with severe GBS. This treatment practice did not change over the last 20 years.
Highlights
This study investigated treatment characteristics of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in a real-world setting between 2000 and 2019
Real-word data on treatment strategies of GBS suggest that a substantial proportion of patients, including patients with mild disease or focal variants, received a sequential therapy with the treatment selection varying depending on geographic r egions[9]
The main finding was that a substantial number of patients with severe GBS received multiple treatments without a significant effect on clinical improvement between nadir and last followup visits
Summary
This study investigated treatment characteristics of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in a real-world setting between 2000 and 2019. Receiving multiple treatments had no adjusted effect (OR 1.30, 95%CI 0.31–5.40, p = 0.72) on clinical improvement between nadir and last follow-up in patients with severe GBS. This treatment practice did not change over the last 20 years. Abbreviations CI Confidence interval CIDP Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy GBS Guillain Barré syndrome IA Immunoadsorption IVIg Intravenous immunoglobulins IQR Interquartile range MFS Miller Fisher syndrome MRC Medical Research Council OR Odds ratio PE Plasma exchange TRF Treatment related fluctuations. Most studies included only patients with moderate to severe classical GBS (i.e., unable to walk independently), and treatment benefits in patients with mild disease or Miller Fisher syndrome respectively other focal variants are poorly understood. Real-word data on treatment strategies of GBS suggest that a substantial proportion of patients, including patients with mild disease or focal variants, received a sequential therapy with the treatment selection varying depending on geographic r egions[9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
