Giuliana Pipolo1, Lara Godoy2, Otto Fustes2
1Neurology, Hospital do Rocio, 2Neurology, Hospital de Clinicas UFPR
Objective:
The aim of this study is to collaborate in understanding the correlation among certain variables and symptoms of the Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS) and its prognosis with regard the patient’s quality of life.
Background:
GBS is clinically presented as an acute post infectious immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy. In spite of the treatment, up to 20% of the patients will not be able to walk without support after one year from the onset of the syndrome, and the estimated incidence of death is 5%.
Design/Methods:
This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study of adult patients with GBS from a Brazilian tertiary hospital, based on medical records and application of two assessment scales related to functionality and quality of life: the Overall Disability Sum Score (ODSS) and the World Health Organization's abbreviated quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The local Human Research Ethics Committee approved the study, which was conducted in accordance with ethical principles, CAAE-81604124.2.5225.
Results:
Of the 46 patients diagnosed with GBS, 5 died during hospitalization, and 5 were lost to follow-up care, 36 patients were evaluated. The statistical analysis demonstrated that there is a positive correlation between the duration of the symptoms that precede GBS and the WHOQOL-BREF test. Also, a prognosis of severe lower limb impairment is associated with a Hughes Score at hospital admission >3. There was not a correlation between time until immunoglobulin first infusion and prognosis, nor between the mEGOS score at admission and prognosis.
Conclusions:
The impairment of motor functions impacts negatively on the patient’s perception of life quality; therefore, it is indispensable to be aware of the main risk factors. The Hughes score at hospital admission seems to be a major tool to estimate a patient’s functional prognosis in GBS, showing that the incapacity to walk without support at admission is associated with long-term severe lower limbs disability.
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