GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME (GBS) VARIANT IN PATIENTS PRESENTING TO A TERTIARY CARE HEALTH FACILITY

NIDA PERVAIZ , MUHAMMAD ATHAR JAVED , MUHAMMAD SHAHID HUSSAIN SIAL , TABANA IFTIKHAR ALI TAJ

Background: Guillain-Barre Syndrome(GBS) is an acute immune mediated polyradiculoneuropathy which has variable clinical and electrophysiological manifestations. The distribution of subtypes is regionally variable and should be supported by local epidemiological data to manage.

Objective: To find out the frequency of the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) variant in patients who visit a tertiary care health facility.

Methodology: This cross-sectional survey was descriptive and carried out at the Department of Neurology, National Hospital and Medical Centre, Lahore during  June 2025 and October 2025. Non-probability consecutive sampling was used to enroll 65 patients aged 18-80 years and with confirmed GBS. Clinical characteristics and nerve conduction studies (NCS) were used to diagnose. The standardized electrophysiological criteria were used to classify GBS variants: acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), and acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN). The SPSS 24 was used to analyses data. Results: The average age of patients was 42.6 years and 15.3 years and males were predominant (61.5%). The most frequent variant was AMAN (46.2%), followed by AMSAN (32.3%) and AIDP (21.5%). It was found that there was a significant correlation between younger age groups and axonal variants (p=0.03). There was no statistically significant gender, diabetes, or hypertension (p>0.05) association.

Conclusion: The predominant form in our population is an axonal form (AMAN and AMSAN), unlike in the West where AIDP is more prevalent. Prognostication and management approaches can be enhanced by early detection of electrophysiological subtypes.