Guillain-Barre Syndrome

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Guillain-Barre syndrome is a very rare disease that attacks the nervous system.


MY cousin experienced a sudden bout of weakness and numbness in his hands and feet the other day. He thought he had a stroke and was rushed to hospital. After many tests, the doctor told him he had a rare condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome. What is this?

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a type of inflammatory disorder that is uncommon, occurring in one or two people out of every 100,000.  

Nobody knows what really causes it.  

In this syndrome, your body抯 immune system is turned against your own nerves. You may become paralysed completely as even your muscles for breathing are shut down.  

Apparently, 30% of all patients with this syndrome at one time will need a ventilator to help them breathe.

Guillain-Barre syndrome usually begins one or two weeks after you have a mild viral infection such as a cough, cold, sore throat, gastroenteritis (diarrhoea) or flu. It can also happen after vaccination or a surgery. Guillain-Barre syndrome can also be triggered by bacteria.  

Do all people who have a viral infection get it then? This is quite frightening!

The fact this syndrome is quite rare means not all people infected with a virus will get it! Everyone can get it, men and women, all age groups, but it seems most likely to occur in young adults and the elderly.  

In fact, a lot of people diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome have no preceding viral infection at all. No one knows what caused or triggered their symptoms.

It has been found that the most common trigger factor for this syndrome is an infection with Campylobacter, which is a bacteria, not a virus. It is mostly found in undercooked food, especially chicken.

Guillain-Barre syndrome may also be triggered by the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus) and HIV.  

The good news is that most people recover completely, even though they have been on a ventilator.  

In Guillain-Barre syndrome, your immune system suddenly turns on your own nerves, destroying the protective sheath around them called the myelin sheath. All peripheral nerves can be attacked, including the ones supplying your hands, feet, legs and arms as well as your face.  

Motor (nerves supplying your muscles to cause movement), sensory (nerves from your skin to elicit sensation) and autonomic (nerves to your basal body functions such as bladder and breathing control) can all be affected.

The difference between Guillain-Barre syndrome and multiple sclerosis is that in Guillain-Barre syndrome, it is the peripheral (arms, feet etc) nerves that are usually affected, not the central nerves of the spinal cord.  

How will I know it抯 Guillain-Barre Syndrome and not a stroke?

It抯 a diagnosis made by medical professionals, but there may be the history of the viral infection one or two weeks before.  
Guillain-Barre syndrome usually begins with weakness, numbness, tingling or loss of sensation which start in your feet and legs. It then spreads to your upper body and arms. In some people, it may start in the arms or even the face.  

The disorder can then progressively worsen. The weakness can become paralysis. You may also experience severe pain in your lower back, difficulty in moving your eyeballs, your face and your mouth. You may also find it difficult to talk or chew as your cranial nerves get involved.  

When your autonomic nerves to your bladder or colon get involved, you may have difficulty in controlling your bladder or your bowel movements.

When the nerves to your blood vessels and heart get involved, then your blood pressure may fluctuate and your heart beat may become erratic (usually your heart beat becomes very slow.)

Then when the nerves to your diaphragm and your muscles of breathing are affected, your breathing will be paralysed as well.  

A stroke usually affects half the body, and it is usually the muscle (motor) movements that are involved. Sometimes, half the face is also involved. It is also very difficult to recover from a stroke.

Will I have long lasting paralysis or numbness from Guillain-Barre syndrome?

Most patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome have the worst weakness within three weeks after the symptoms begin. Some patients may even progress very rapidly within hours!  

Then within two to four weeks, progression usually stops and in another two to four weeks time, recovery starts. However, 5% of patient die.  

Do not fret however. Approximately 80% of patients recover completely. The most these patients will have is minor residual weakness or numbness and tingling.  

About 5% to 10% of patients do however experience more permanent loss of sensation, coordination or disability.  
A relapse happens in 10% of all patients.  

Is there any treatment for this?

Doctors may try plasmapheresis, which is a process to filter the plasma in your blood in order to remove the antibodies that are attacking your nerve myelin sheaths.  

Doctors may also infuse gamma globulin, which can block your nerve myelin sheath receptors in order to prevent the destructive antibodies from attaching to and damaging them.  

Once damaged, your nerves take a long time to repair themselves, maybe up to a year.



hah!! scary juga kalu kita sendiri tak tahu what hit us.. stroke ker  gb syndrome ke..  aku nak sebut pun hampir nak tercabut lidah aku..   tapi aku kira  ni penting utk kita tau..  aku pun belajar sama benda2 ni.. aku nak pastikan keluarga aku clear dari penyakit ni