Guillain- Barre Syndrome

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Guillain- Barre Syndrome

• By Dylan Growden

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What is Guillain-Barre Syndrome??

• It is a disorder in which the bodys immune
  system attacks part of the peripheral nervous
  system

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How is it transmitted???

• It often follows a minor infection, usually a
  lung infection or gastrointestinal infection.
  Usually, signs of the original infection have
  disappeared before the symptoms of Guillain-Barre
  begin.
• Exactly what triggers Guillain-Barre syndrome is
  unknown.

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Transmitted

• It can be preceded by an infectious illness such
  as a respiratory infection or the stomach flu.
• Surgery
• Epstein-Barr virus
• Hodgkins disease
• HIV virus
• Influenza immunizations

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symptoms

• Muscle weakness or loss of muscle function
  (paralysis)
• May begin in the arms and legs at the same time
• May get worse over 24 to 72 hours
• May occur in the nerves of the head only
• Tenderness or muscle pain (may be a cramp-like
  pain)

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Areas affected

• The arms and legs, unsteady walking or inability
  to walk
• Head, difficulty with eye movement, facial
  movement, speaking, chewing or swallowing
• Heart, very slow heart rate or low blood pressure
• Body, bladder control or intestinal functions

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Who is usually affected

• The Guillain- Barre syndrome may occur at any
  age, but is most common in people of both sexes
  between ages 30 and 50
• Guillain- Barre syndrome is relatively rare,
  affecting only 1 or 2 people per 100,000

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Prognosis

• Guillain- Barre Syndrome can be devastating
  disorder because of its sudden and unexpected
  onset.
• Most people reach the stage of greatest weakness
  within the first two weeks after symptoms appear,
  and by the third week of the illness 90 percent
  of all people are at their weakest

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Prognosis

• About 30 percent of those with Guillain-Barre
  still have a residual weakness after 3 years
• About 3 percent may suffer a relapse of muscle
  weakness and tingling sensations many years after
  the initial attack

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Treatments

• Therapies can lessen the severity of the illness
  and accelerate the recovery in most patients
• Plasmapheresis and high-dose immunoglobulin
  therapy are used

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Websites

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
  Stroke www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/gbs.htm
• MayoClinic.com www.bing.com/health