Several published reports have described a possible association between Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This systematic review aimed to summarize and meta-analyze the salient features and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2-associated GBS. We searched the PubMed (Medline), Web of Science and Cochrane databases for articles published between 01 January 2020 and 05 August 2020 using SARS-CoV-2 and GBS-related keywords. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, antecedent symptoms, clinical, serological and electrophysiological features, and hospital outcomes were recorded. We included 45 articles from 16 countries reporting 61 patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated GBS. Most (97.7%) articles were from high-and upper-middle-income countries. Forty-two (68.9%) of the patients were male; median (interquartile range) age was 57 (49-70) years. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2 was positive in 90.2% of patients. One report of SARS-CoV-2-associated familial GBS was found which affected a father and daughter of a family. Albuminocytological dissociation in cerebrospinal fluid was found in 80.8% of patients. The majority of patients (75.5%) had a demyelinating subtype of GBS. Intravenous immunoglobulin and plasmapheresis were given to 92.7% and 7.3% of patients, respectively. Around two-thirds (65.3%) of patients had a good outcome (GBS-disability score ≤ 2) on discharge from hospital. Two patients died in hospital. SARS-CoV-2-associated GBS mostly resembles the classical presentations of GBS that respond to standard treatments. Extensive surveillance is required in low-and lower-middle-income countries to identify and report similar cases/series. Further large-scale case-control studies are warranted to strengthen the current evidence. PROSPERO Registration Number CRD42020201673.

Objective TLR4 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS). The relationships between TLR4 polymorphisms and susceptibility to GBS are poorly understood. We investigated the frequency and assessed the association of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the extracellular domain of TLR4 (Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile) with disease susceptibility and the clinical features of GBS in a Bangladeshi cohort. Methods A total of 290 subjects were included in this study: 141 patients with GBS and 149 unrelated healthy controls. The TLR4 polymorphisms Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) assay. Results The minor 299Gly allele was significantly associated with GBS susceptibility ( P = 0.0137, OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.17–3.31), and was present at a significantly higher frequency in patients with the acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) subtype of GBS ( P = 0.0120, OR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.26–4.47) than acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) subtype ( P = 0.961, OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.38–3.48); when compared to healthy controls. The genotype frequency of the Asp299Gly polymorphism was not significantly different between patients with GBS and healthy controls. The Asp299‐Thr399 haplotype was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing GBS ( P = 0.0451, OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.40–0.99). No association was observed between the Thr399Ile polymorphism and GBS disease susceptibility. Interpretation The TLR4 minor 299Gly allele was associated with increased susceptibility to GBS and the axonal GBS subtype in the Bangladeshi population. However, no associations were observed between the genotypes of the Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile SNPs and antecedent C. jejuni infection or disease severity in Bangladeshi patients with GBS.

Background Ileus is common after elective colorectal surgery, and is associated with increased adverse events and prolonged hospital stay. The aim was to assess the role of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for reducing ileus after surgery. Methods A prospective multicentre cohort study was delivered by an international, student‐ and trainee‐led collaborative group. Adult patients undergoing elective colorectal resection between January and April 2018 were included. The primary outcome was time to gastrointestinal recovery, measured using a composite measure of bowel function and tolerance to oral intake. The impact of NSAIDs was explored using Cox regression analyses, including the results of a centre‐specific survey of compliance to enhanced recovery principles. Secondary safety outcomes included anastomotic leak rate and acute kidney injury. Results A total of 4164 patients were included, with a median age of 68 (i.q.r. 57–75) years (54·9 per cent men). Some 1153 (27·7 per cent) received NSAIDs on postoperative days 1–3, of whom 1061 (92·0 per cent) received non‐selective cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitors. After adjustment for baseline differences, the mean time to gastrointestinal recovery did not differ significantly between patients who received NSAIDs and those who did not (4·6 versus 4·8 days; hazard ratio 1·04, 95 per cent c.i. 0·96 to 1·12; P = 0·360). There were no significant differences in anastomotic leak rate (5·4 versus 4·6 per cent; P = 0·349) or acute kidney injury (14·3 versus 13·8 per cent; P = 0·666) between the groups. Significantly fewer patients receiving NSAIDs required strong opioid analgesia (35·3 versus 56·7 per cent; P < 0·001). Conclusion NSAIDs did not reduce the time for gastrointestinal recovery after colorectal surgery, but they were safe and associated with reduced postoperative opioid requirement.

Friedewald's formula is the most frequently used formula for the calculation of serum lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol from serum total cholesterol, serum triacylglycerol and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Most laboratories use serum triacylglycerol concentration of 400 mg/dl as upper cut-off limit for the calculation of LDL cholesterol, but a combination of serum triacylglycerol to total cholesterol ratio and serum triacylglycerol may have more advantages than serum triacylglycerol concentration alone to use Friedewald's formula effectively. The aim of this study was to determine the upper cut-off limit of serum triacylglycerol concentration and serum triacylglycerol to total cholesterol ratio to calculate LDL cholesterol using Friedewald's formula in Bangladeshi population. Serum total cholesterol, serum triacylglycerol, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and serum lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol were measured by direct method on 644 sera obtained from adult Bangladeshi study subjects after 12 hours of fasting. Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was also calculated by using Friedewald formula. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol obtained by Friedewald's formula in this study was compared with that obtained by direct method in different level of triacylglycerol and also in different triacylglycerol to total cholesterol ratio. Friedewald's formula underestimates low-density lipoprotein cholesterol when serum triacylglycerol concentration >300 mg/dL. But when direct serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was compared with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol calculated using Friedewald's formula up to serum triacylglycerol to total cholesterol ratio of 2, underestimation subsides, and the serum triacylglycerol level up to 700 mg/dl could be confidently included for the calculation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by Friedewald's formula. Friedewald's calculation formula can be confidently used up to serum triacylglycerol concentration of 700 mg/dl in Bangladeshi population, provided the serum triacylglycerol to total cholesterol ratio is two or less.

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