Clinical Profile and Predictors of Outcome of Guillain Barre Syndrome Variants among Children Admitted in the Pediatric Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi

Abstract

Background: Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) is one of the leading cause of Acute Flaccid Paralysis presenting in pediatric emergency, marking incidents in Asian countries as 3-4 per 100, 000 population. To improve outcome, an accurate and early recognition of predictors of bad prognosis is required.

Objective: To identify requirement of intensive monitoring and aggressive treatment to help the health system in decreasing morbidity and mortality associated with Guillain Barre Syndrome.

Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted at Dr. RKMP Civil Hospital Karachi. Medical records of patients >3 months to 12 years of age, admitted with diagnosis of Guillian Barre syndrome from Jan 2017 to June 2022 were reviewed. Data was analyzed in SPSS version 23. For independent variables, frequency and percentage was used.

Results: A total of 46 patients were enrolled in the study, mean age of study participants was 80.26 ± 31.7 months. The most common variant of GBS identified was AIDP in 19 (41.3%) followed by ASMAN 14 (30.4%). A positive association between winter season with 2.7 (95% CI 1.4-5.8) and progression within 7 days with 3.2 (95% CI 1.9-6.7) was found with mortality.

Conclusion: Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy was the most common variant of Gullian-Barre syndrome with male predominance. Presentation in winter seasons and progression of disease in less than 7 days are risk factors for mortality. Bulbar palsy is an independent risk factor for mechanical ventilation, irrespective of GBS variant.