Guillain-Barré syndrome
Consult a doctor if you have a medical concern.
Guillain-Barre syndrome is a serious disorder that occurs when the body's defense (immune) system mistakenly attacks part of the nervous system. This leads to nerve inflammation that causes muscle weakness and other symptoms.
Myasthenia gravis
Consult a doctor if you have a medical concern.
Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disorder. Neuromuscular disorders involve the muscles and the nerves that control them.
Combined Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenia gravis.
Source
Division of Pediatric Neurology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Abstract
Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenia gravis both lead to muscle weakness but the two combined is uncommon. Detection of these entities can help identify forms of autoimmune neuromuscular diseases that may respond to immunotherapy. This report sought to characterize the clinical features of these two entities when combined. Methods: This report is of a case of combined Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenia gravis. The clinical features were analyzed and correlated to those published in English literature from 1960 to 2012. Ten reports and 12 cases, including the present case, were reviewed. Results: There were 12 patients (4 women and 8 men), aged 17 to 84years, with combined Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenia gravis. Four had post-infectious Guillain-Barré syndrome followed by the development of myasthenia gravis concurrently or concomitantly within one month. All cases had symptoms of ptosis and areflexia. The other common presentations were limb weakness, oculobulbar weakness, and respiratory involvement. Functional outcome was mentioned in 10 patients and seven had good outcome (Hughes scale ⩽2). Conclusion: Detection of ptosis with or without ophthalmoplegia, distribution of limb weakness, and reflex can help in recognizing combined Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenia gravis. The early recognition of this combination of peripheral nervous and neuro-muscular junction inflammation is important for initial treatment and prognosis.
Copyright © 2012 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
- PMID:
- 23177060
- [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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