Guillain-Barre syndrome Health Article

Complications

• Breathing difficulty (respiratory failure)
• Sucking in food or fluids into the lungs (aspiration)
• Pneumonia
• Increased risk of infections
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Permanent loss of movement of an area
• Contractures of joints or other deformity

Calling your health care provider

Seek immediate medical help if any of the following symptoms occur:

• Loss of movement
• Decreased feeling (sensation)
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty breathing
• Unable to take a deep breath
• Fainting

References

Hughes RA, Raphael JC, Swan AV, van Doorn PA. Intravenous immunoglobulin for Guillain-Barre syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006 Jan 25;(1):CD002063. Review.

Hughes RA, Wijdicks EF, Barohn R, et al. Practice parameter: immunotherapy for Guillain-Barre syndrome: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2003 Sep. 23;61(6):736-40.

Sharar E. Current therapeutic options in severe Guillain-Barre syndrome. Clin Neuropharmacol. 2006 Jan-Feb;29(1):45-51.

Wiles CM, Brown P, Chapel H, et al. Intravenous immunoglobulin in neurological disease: a specialist review. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2002 Apr;72(4):440-8. Review.

Goetz, CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2003: 1085-1090.