Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Guillain‑Barre Syndrome in Isfahan, Iran

Guillain‑Barre syndrome (GBS) is an immune‑mediated peripheral neuropathy. We compared clinical, laboratory characteristics, and disease course of GBS subtypes in a large group of Iranian patients in Isfahan.

We collected data from patients who were admitted to Alzahra referral university Hospital, Isfahan, Iran with a diagnosis of GBS. In this population‑based cross‑sectional research, characteristic of 388 cases with GBS between 2010 and 2015 were studied.

The current study recruited 388 patients with GBS including 241 males (62.1%) and 147 females (37.9%) with a mean age of 42.78 ± 21.34. Patients with polyradiculopathy had the highest mean age of 55.12 ± 20.59 years, whereas the least age was seen in acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) with the mean of 36.30 ± 18.71 years. The frequency of GBS witnessed the highest frequency in spring with 113 cases (29.1%) and winter with 101 cases (26%). Patients’ electrodiagnostic findings indicated that the highest frequency pertained to AMSAN with 93 cases (24%), whereas the least frequent diagnosis was acute Polyradiculopathy with 8 cases (2.1%). Most of the patients did not have any infections (53.6%) and among patients with infections, AMSAN had the highest frequency (22.9%) and finally, patients with AMSAN and AMAN had a higher length of stay.

The study demonstrated incidence, sex distribution, preceding infection, and surgery similar to previous studies. However, our data differs from a study in Tehran that showed acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy is more prevalent than other types and we found a seasonal preponderance in cold months, particularly in axonal types.