Name: William M Davis
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Question:
Looking for information about Guillian Barret Syndrome, it attacks the
nervous system. What about full recovery?? What about recurrence???
Replies:
According to my sources, this disease can result in bilateral paralysis
of head and face, but usually, patients recover in a period varying from several
weeks to months. No reference is made to recurrence.
--Wordsworth
Guillain-Barret (with a French accent "egou" over the 'e' (no 't'))
syndrome is very serious. It is "an acute, usually rapidly progressive
form of polyneuropathy (disease of many nerves) characterized by muscular
weakness and mild distal sensory loss that about half the time begins
5 to 3 weeks after a banal infectious disorder (i.e. a cold), surgery,
or an immunization."
"Despite advances in respiratory care, 1.5 to 8% of patients die." And
I have seen this happen.
"5 to 10% require intubation for respiratory failure." (The nerves to
the diaphragm are affected so the pt can't breathe).
"About 10% of patients relapse after initial improvement and enter a
chronic state."
Hope this helps. My source is the 15th edition Merck Manual pp 1446-7.
JOEL
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