Guillain-BarrE Syndrome Following COVID-19: A Case Report
Author(s): Aqeel Almutairi*, Sarah Bin Abdulqader, Majed Alhameed, Sajjad Ali, Bandar Alosaimi and Rakan Alotaibi
Abstract
Introduction: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an immune mediated disease that often manifests clinically after an infectious process. Patients with GBS classically present with progressive, ascending symmetrical flaccid paralysis with diminished or lost deep tendon reflexes. Case report: we report a case of 36-year-old healthy male who developed bilateral progressive distal extremity numbness, change in speech and bilateral facial weakness within 3 weeks of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The patient was diagnosed with GBS and treated with Intravenous immune globulin with significant improvement in his complaints. Discussion: The exact mechanism of GBS formation in patients with COVID-19 is yet to be determined. However, prevailing theories suggested that inflammatory cells are stimulated by COVID-19 leading to production of inflammatory cytokines which therefore creates an immune mediated process. Conclusion: proper neurologic assessment is recommended whenever there is a suspicion of GBS following GI and/or respiratory infection.