Incidence, clinical, risk factors and outcomes of Guillain-Barré in Covid-19

Ann Neurol. 2021 Mar;89(3):598-603. doi: 10.1002/ana.25987. Epub 2020 Dec 28.

Abstract

We diagnosed 11 Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases among 71,904 COVID patients attended at 61 Spanish emergency departments (EDs) during the 2-month pandemic peak. The relative frequency of GBS among ED patients was higher in COVID (0.15‰) than non-COVID (0.02‰) patients (odds ratio [OR] = 6.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.18-12.5), as was the standardized incidence (9.44 and 0.69 cases/100,000 inhabitant-years, respectively, OR = 13.5, 95% CI = 9.87-18.4). Regarding clinical characteristics, olfactory-gustatory disorders were more frequent in COVID-GBS than non-COVID-GBS (OR = 27.59, 95% CI = 1.296-587) and COVID-non-GBS (OR = 7.875, 95% CI = 1.587-39.09) patients. Although COVID-GBS patients were more frequently admitted to intensive care, mortality was not increased versus control groups. Our results suggest SARS-CoV-2 could be another viral infection causing GBS. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:598-603.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • COVID-19 / complications
  • COVID-19 / physiopathology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / etiology
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome / therapy
  • Hospital Mortality*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / therapeutic use
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Incidence
  • Intensive Care Units / statistics & numerical data*
  • Length of Stay / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Olfaction Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Olfaction Disorders / etiology
  • Olfaction Disorders / physiopathology
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Taste Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Taste Disorders / etiology
  • Taste Disorders / physiopathology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
  • Immunologic Factors