Guillain Barré syndrome in a patient with a history of respiratory infection: a case report

Abstract

Introduction: Guillain-Barre? syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory polyneuropathy of autoimmune
etiology that causes inflammation of the peripheral nerves and their spinal roots. It presents as flaccid,
symmetrical, ascending, areflexic paralysis and with a history of respiratory infection.

Objective: Describe a clinical case of Guillain Barre?, with a history of previous respiratory infection.

Material and methods: Descriptive, retrospective study, presentation of a clinical case.

Results: This is a 69-year-old female patient with no pathological history of interest, she suffered a viral
respiratory infection two weeks ago, she went to a private doctor presenting pain in the extremities,
paresthesias in the lower limbs, ketoprofen 100 mg, thiocolchicocidal 4 mg and ibuprofen 400 was prescribed.
mg in single doses, with which there was no improvement, worsening the clinical picture. Twelve days later,
she attended with decreased muscle strength and difficulty walking. Absent osteo-tendon reflexes and slight
decrease in sensitivity in the distal area of both lower limbs. Among the complementary examinations,
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) albumino-cytological dissociation and an electromyography compatible with Acute
Polyneuropathy were observed. GBS was diagnosed, providing treatment with intravenous human
immunoglobulin with a favorable evolution and results.

Conclusions: GBS is an immunologically-derived, ascending monophasic demyelinating acute inflammatory
polyradiculoneuropathy, the clinical diagnosis of which is complementary tests help to corroborate the disease
and allow the use of plasmapheresis or intravenous human immunoglobulin to be maintained as evidence of
superiority to favor of any of them.