Electrophysiological Subtypes and Prognostic Factors of Childhood Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: We assessed the clinical, epidemiologic, electrophysiological and prognostic characteristics of childhood Guillain-Barré Syndrome admitted to 13 pediatric neurology centers in Turkey.

METHOD: Using a standard data recording form age, sex, duration of symptoms, distribution of weakness at onset, cranial nerve involvement, cerebrospinal fluid findings, electrophysiological findings, duration of hospitalization, requirement of ventilation, treatment and clinical evaluation scale at onset, discharge and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after discharge were recorded.

RESULTS: Among the 236 children with a median age of 6.8 years there was a male to female ratio of 1.3. Based on the electrophysiological features; 84 patients were classified as acute inflammatory demyelinating polyrediculoneuropathy (AIDP), 61 as acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), 21 as acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN). The incidence of cranial nerve involvement was 16%, and was related to lower clinical scores at discharge and 6 months after discharge. Clinical scale scores between axonal and demyelinating subgroups did not show statistically significant difference except for admission (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Electrophysiological subtypes are not important in prognosis in our series. However, duration of weakness, duration of hospitalization and ventilation requirement can affect prognosis negatively.