Clinical and electrophysiologic features of childhood Guillain-Barré syndrome in Northeast China.

Background/purpose: Since little has been reported in previous studies, we aimed to find the clinical and electrophysiologic characteristics associated with childhood Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in Northeast China.

Methods: The clinical and electrophysiologic data were collected and reviewed retrospectively in 33 children and 105 adults with GBS during the period between 2006 and 2010 from the First Hospital of Jilin University.

Results: Most of the children with GBS were older than 8 years of age and symptoms were severe at GBS onset. Simultaneous involvement of four limbs was the most common clinical feature, and cranial nerve involvement was common; however, previous infection, sensory nerve involvement and elevated proteins in cerebrospinal fluid occurred much less in the children with GBS than those in adult patients. Recruited children were classified as having acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP; 41%), acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN; 38%), and were unclassified (21%). Electrophysiologic features and prognosis in these children were not different from those in adults. For children with AMAN, the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) was not different from that in adults; however, IVIg was not significantly effective for AIDP in these children.

Conclusion: Childhood GBS in Northeast China exhibits characteristics of clinical and electrophysiologic alternations; early diagnosis and appropriate treatments should be provided accordingly.