Guillain-Barre Syndrome Essay -- Medical Science Scientific Medicine E

Guillain-Barre SyndromeGuillain-Barre Syndrome, or acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, is a self-limiting disease characterized by areflexia and acute progressive motor impuissance of at least one limb. Other symptoms include motor weakness of the extremities and face, loss or reduction of deep tendon reflexes, decreased sensation passim the body,ophthalmoplegia, and ataxia. In severe cases respiratory failure and autonomic dysfunction whitethorn occur. Respiratory failure results from the demyelination of the phrenic and intercostal nerves. Consequently, the person loses the ability to inhale and exhale. involuntary dysfunction resulting from the demyelination of the sympathetic and vagus nerves can lead to cardiac arrhythmias, tachycardia, postural hypotension, and hypertension. Analysis of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) shows increased protein concentration with hardly a(prenominal) cells. Other tests reveal a decreased nerve conduction velocity resulting from seg mental demyelination with mononuclear cell infiltration. In 70% of the afflicted individuals, the symptoms of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) occur at heart two weeks following infection. Clinical diagnosis is based on the presence of albumino-cytological dissociation in the CSF. Following the onset, motor weakness progressively deteriorates for foursome weeks and may lead to respiratory failure and cardiac instability. If either respiratory failure or cardiac abnormalities occur, the patient will be placed in the intense care unit and closely monitored. Eventually the persons condition will cease to deteriorate, and he/she will enter a plateau period of two to four weeks during which little or no change will occur. Following the plateau stage, the patient will gradually rec... ...Guillain Barre syndrome following immunisation with Haemophilusinfluenzae type b joined vaccine. Europ. J. Pediatrics, July 1993, 152(7) 613-614. Hartung, H. P. Immune-mediated demyelination. Ann. Neuro logy, June 1993, 33(6) 563-567. Hund, E. F., Borel, C. O., Cornblath, D. R., Hanley, D. F. & McKhann, G. M. Intensive management and treatment of severe Guillain-Barre syndrome. Crit. Care Medicine, March 1993,21(3) 433-446. Rostami, A. M. Pathogenesis of immune-mediated neuropathies. Pediatrics Res., January 1993, 33(1 Suppl) S90-94. Sharief, M. K., McLean, B. & Thompson, E. J. Elevated serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in Guillain-Barre syndrome. Ann. Neurology, June 1993, 33(6) 591-596. Willison, H. J. & Kennedy, P. G. Gangliosides and bacterialtoxins in Guillain-Barre syndrome. J. Neuroimmunology, July 1993, 46(1-2) 105-112.