AUTHOR=Pathikonda Chakrapani , Katyal Nakul , Narula Naureen , Govindarajan Raghav 

TITLE=Disease and Patient Characteristics Contributing to Diagnostic Delays in Patients With Guillain-Barré Syndrome

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.684847

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2021.684847

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> Diagnosis of Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) is often made clinically. Certain patient and disease characteristics can cause delays in diagnosis and management.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Observational retrospective study of forty-four patients diagnosed with GBS either clinically, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and/or by electro-diagnostic criteria at a teaching hospital (University of Missouri Hospital) in Columbia, Mid-Missouri between 2011 and 2017.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Patients with coexisting neurological conditions had statistically significant delay in diagnosis of GBS [Mean (SD); 13 ± 5 vs. 9.39 ± 4.7; <italic>p</italic> = 0.03]. Patients presenting with motor + symptoms (sensory and/or autonomic, in addition to motor), compared to those with only motor symptoms had statistically significant delay in diagnosis of GBS [Mean (SD); 11.90 ± 5 vs. 8.58 ± 4; <italic>p</italic> = 0.04].</p><p><bold>Discussion:</bold> Presence of co-existing neurological conditions, and motor + symptoms can delay timely diagnosis and management of GBS.</p>