Clinical Manifestations
This ascending weakness pattern, beginning in the legs and moving upward, is one of the hallmarks of this disorder.
What is ascending paralysis / ascending muscle weakness?
An aberrant immune response following infection causes the body's own antibodies to attack this component of peripheral motor neurons.
What is the myelin sheath (and/or Schwann cells)?
This lumbar puncture finding, elevated protein with normal or near-normal white cell count, is the classic CSF pattern, called albuminocytologic dissociation.
What is albuminocytologic dissociation (high CSF protein, normal WBC)?
This blood-purifying treatment removes circulating antibodies from the plasma and is one of two first-line therapies for this condition.
What is plasmapheresis (plasma exchange / PLEX)?
This disorder falls under the broader classification of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, the most common of its four subtypes worldwide.
What is AIDP (Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy)?
Patients commonly report painful paresthesias described as 'tingling' or 'electric shock' sensations, especially in the hands and feet.
What are sensory disturbances / paresthesias?
This disorder is an autoimmune condition, meaning the body mistakenly attacks itself specifically destroying the protective insulation wrapped around nerve fibers that helps signals travel quickly.
What is the myelin sheath?
This electrodiagnostic study measures conduction velocities and response amplitudes in motor and sensory nerves to confirm peripheral nerve involvement.
What is nerve conduction study (NCS) / electromyography (EMG)?
This intravenous preparation of pooled donor antibodies works by modulating the immune response and is equally effective as plasma exchange.
What is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)?
Named after the French physicians who published a case series in 1916, this disorder's eponym honors these three clinicians.
Who are Guillain, Barré, and Strohl?
This autonomic complication can cause dangerous swings in heart rate and blood pressure, making cardiac monitoring essential.
What is autonomic dysfunction?
Because the protective coating around nerves is damaged, electrical signals cannot travel efficiently, resulting in the muscle weakness and sensory changes patients experience.
What is demyelination / slowed nerve conduction?
The Brighton Collaboration established this type of criteria to standardize diagnosis across research and clinical settings.
What are the Brighton Collaboration diagnostic criteria?
Despite being a hallmark treatment for other autoimmune diseases, clinical trials have shown that this class of drugs is NOT effective for this disorder.
What are corticosteroids / steroids?
This disorder is considered a medical emergency because weakness can spread to the breathing muscles within days, potentially requiring a ventilator.
What is respiratory failure / respiratory muscle paralysis?
Respiratory muscle weakness can progress to the point that patients require this life-saving intervention.
What is mechanical ventilation?
This disorder is often triggered when the immune system confuses the body's own nerve tissue for a foreign invader it recently fought off, a phenomenon known by this term.
What is molecular mimicry?
A needle is inserted into the lower back to collect this fluid, which surrounds the brain and spinal cord, and is analyzed as part of the workup for this disorder.
What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) / a lumbar puncture (spinal tap)?
Because patients with this disorder are often bedridden and unable to move their legs, doctors must take precautions to prevent this dangerous blood clot from forming in the legs or lungs.
What is deep vein thrombosis (DVT) / pulmonary embolism (VTE prophylaxis)?
This disorder most commonly develops days to weeks after the immune system fights off a routine illness, such as a respiratory infection or stomach bug, and then mistakenly turns on the body's own nerves.
What is a preceding infection / post-infectious autoimmune trigger?
Facial weakness affecting the ability to smile or close the eyes can occur in up to 50% of cases.
What is facial weakness / facial nerve palsy?
This disorder damages nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord meaning it affects the nerves responsible for carrying movement and sensation signals to and from the limbs.
What is the peripheral nervous system?
MRI of the spine with gadolinium contrast may show enhancement of these roots in the lumbosacral region during early disease.
What are the cauda equina / spinal nerve roots?
Doctors closely track a patient's breathing capacity using lung function tests, and if numbers drop too low, the patient is moved to this specialized hospital unit for closer monitoring and possible ventilator support.
What is the ICU (intensive care unit) / when to intubate?
About 20% of patients remain unable to walk independently at 6 months, and this percentage experience long-term residual deficits affecting quality of life.
What is approximately 20% (range 15–20%)?