tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
BMC Geriatr
. 2023 Mar 1;23(1):114.
doi: 10.1186/s12877-023-03833-1.
Guillain-Barré syndrome AMSAN variant in a 90-year-old woman after COVID-19: a case report
Chiara Sidoli[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Adriana Antonella Bruni[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Simone Beretta[SUP] 1 3 4 [/SUP], Paolo Mazzola[SUP] 5 6 7 [/SUP], Giuseppe Bellelli[SUP] 1 2 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory disease of the peripheral nervous system characterized by rapidly evolving polyneuropathy caused by autoimmune demyelination and/or axonal degeneration. Since SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, several GBS cases following exposure to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have been reported in literature, raising the concern of the latter being a potential trigger event for GBS.
Case presentation: We report the case of a 90-year-old Caucasian woman who was admitted to our hospital because of fatigue, worsening gait and leg strength, dysphonia, dysarthria and dysphagia, started 3 weeks after being exposed to COVID-19. Based on clinical presentation GBS was suspected, so she performed a lumbar puncture and electromyography, which confirmed the diagnosis of acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN) variant. We administered high dose of intravenous immunoglobulin with slight neurological improvement. However, after 2 weeks of hospitalization with maximization of care, her physical condition worsen, manifesting severe frailty. The patient was discharged with home support services for managing parenteral nutrition and intense scheduled physiotherapy. A few days later, the patient experienced a further decline in her clinical condition and died at home.
Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, we report the oldest woman with GBS AMSAN variant after COVID-19 described in the existing literature. Our case supports further research aimed at improving recognition, characterization and prompt management of neurological diseases related to COVID-19 in older patients.
Keywords: Covid-19; Geriatric syndrome; Guillain-Barré syndrome; Motor and sensitive polyneuropathy.
. 2023 Mar 1;23(1):114.
doi: 10.1186/s12877-023-03833-1.
Guillain-Barré syndrome AMSAN variant in a 90-year-old woman after COVID-19: a case report
Chiara Sidoli[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Adriana Antonella Bruni[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Simone Beretta[SUP] 1 3 4 [/SUP], Paolo Mazzola[SUP] 5 6 7 [/SUP], Giuseppe Bellelli[SUP] 1 2 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36859256
- DOI: 10.1186/s12877-023-03833-1
Abstract
Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory disease of the peripheral nervous system characterized by rapidly evolving polyneuropathy caused by autoimmune demyelination and/or axonal degeneration. Since SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, several GBS cases following exposure to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have been reported in literature, raising the concern of the latter being a potential trigger event for GBS.
Case presentation: We report the case of a 90-year-old Caucasian woman who was admitted to our hospital because of fatigue, worsening gait and leg strength, dysphonia, dysarthria and dysphagia, started 3 weeks after being exposed to COVID-19. Based on clinical presentation GBS was suspected, so she performed a lumbar puncture and electromyography, which confirmed the diagnosis of acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN) variant. We administered high dose of intravenous immunoglobulin with slight neurological improvement. However, after 2 weeks of hospitalization with maximization of care, her physical condition worsen, manifesting severe frailty. The patient was discharged with home support services for managing parenteral nutrition and intense scheduled physiotherapy. A few days later, the patient experienced a further decline in her clinical condition and died at home.
Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, we report the oldest woman with GBS AMSAN variant after COVID-19 described in the existing literature. Our case supports further research aimed at improving recognition, characterization and prompt management of neurological diseases related to COVID-19 in older patients.
Keywords: Covid-19; Geriatric syndrome; Guillain-Barré syndrome; Motor and sensitive polyneuropathy.