Guillain Barre Syndrome in Children At Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital

Abstract

This is a six years retrospective descriptive study conducted in the pediatric and child health department of Tikur Anbessa Hospital from September, 2001 –  September, 2006 G.C to assess the pattern of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and the clinical and epidemiologic features of Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS). Data was collected from medical records of all patients admitted with diagnosis of AFP, and analyzed using standard statistical tests with SPSS version 14 software. Out of 70 admitted cases of AFP, forty six (65.7%) were males and 24 (34.3%) were females. Sixty seven cases (95.7%) were diagnosed to have GBS and the rest three were compatible with poliomyelitis, transverse myelitis and post injection neuritis. Out of the 70 cases 66 (94.3%) have received at least one dose of polio  vaccination and the rest 4 (5.7%) were never vaccinated. Out of the cases diagnosed to have GBS, 44 (65.7%) met NNCDS diagnostic criteria. History of  ntecedent event was obtained in 31/67 (46.3%) patients. Majority of the patients 45 (67.17%) presented with ascending reflexes quadriparesis, 2 (2.98%) patients with descending areflexic quadriparesis, 19(28.35%) only with lower limb involvement and 1 (1.5%) with typical miller-fisher type. Sensation was affected in 4  Patients. Cytoalbuminological dissociation was found in 27(40.3%). There were 11 deaths (16.4%) of whom five were admitted to ICU the rest six didn’t. This study showed that the commonest cause of AFP is GBS which is associated with high mortality. This high mortality rate 11/67 (16.42%) is attributed to absence of pediatrics ICU, late arrival to Hospital after onset of illness, and poor supportive care.