You Ask, They Answer
Q
: What is GBS in both medical and layman’ s terms?
A
: GBS refers to Guillain Barre Syndrome, which was named after two doctors who described this condition in 1916.
GBS is a condition where the peripheral nerves are attacked by one’ s own immune system. It typically occurs after a bout of infection, when the immune system is activated but erroneously recognises its own peripheral nervous system as an enemy. This causes inflammation and damage to the peripheral nerves.
Q
: Is it a common disease? How one can prevent GBS?
A
: GBS is a rare neurological condition. The incidence is 0.4 to 2 per 100,000 people per year, meaning 4- 20 out of one million people are affected annually. It can occur in any age group. Unfortunately, GBS is not preventable.
Q
: What are the symptoms and causes of GBS?
A
: Symptoms: Typically the patient complains of weakness or numbness that starts in the feet then spreads upwards to involve the whole of the lower limbs and upper limbs, as well as the muscles of the face. The patient may complain of double vision, slurring of speech, and difficulty swallowing. These symptoms can worsen within a few hours or in days.
In the most severe condition, the patient can be totally paralysed. He / she is unable to breathe due to weakness of the breathing muscles. The patient may need to be nursed in the intensive care unit, connected to a ventilator for assisted breathing, and be put on a temporary feeding tube.
Causes: GBS is usually triggered by a bacterial or viral infection, typically respiratory or gastrointestinal in nature, that precedes the GBS symptoms by 2- 4 weeks. Vaccinations and drugs can also trigger GBS.
Q
: Are there different types of GBS?
A
: The classical GBS is the acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, or AIDP, variant, which has typically good recovery. It accounts for 90 percent of GBS cases.
There are a few other types of GBS that slightly differ in presentation that carry different prognoses and timing
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