2026 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

To describe the epidemiological, clinical, and demographic characteristics of GBS in patients treated at a tertiary care hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Background:

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is the most common immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy worldwide. In North America and Europe, the demyelinating subtype dominates, while in South America, axonal variants make up 30-47% of cases. In Latin America, understanding GBS epidemiology and clinical patterns is crucial for prevention, detection, and management. Our goal was to describe GBS epidemiology at an Argentine tertiary centre.

Design/Methods:

We conducted a retrospective observational study of adults hospitalized with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) from 2013 to 2023 at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina. We analyzed demographic, clinical, electrophysiologic, and therapeutic data. Functional status was assessed using the Hughes Functional Grading Scale (HFGS), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and Erasmus GBS Respiratory Insufficiency Score.

Results:

The study involved 80 participants, 62% male, with a mean age of 57 years (SD±18, range 18-89). Most cases occurred in winter, and 43% had no detectable prodrome, while 58.7% of those with prodromes reported a recent viral infection. Sensory symptoms were the most common initial sign. The classic variant was most frequent, followed by pure motor and facial diparesis. Initial electromyography showed demyelinating in 62%, axonal in 21%, mixed in 6%, and normal in 11%. Most had an HFGS score of 3 on admission and intensive care was needed for 80%, with 22.9% requiring ventilation. All received immunoglobulin. Average hospitalization was 14.5 days. Complications occurred in 47%, mainly infections. Mean mRS scores decreased from 3.2±1.24 at discharge to 2.26±2.01 at 3 months and to 1.77±2.44 at 12 months, with five deaths.

Conclusions:

In this cohort, the demyelinating subtype was most common, which differs from regional data showing a higher rate of axonal damage. These findings enhance understanding of GBS epidemiology and outcomes in South America.