Analysis of the correlation between Guillain-Barré and post-COVID-19 syndromes

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To correlate Guillain-Barré as a consequence of the Post-COVID-19 syndrome, evaluating the pathophysiological, immunogenic and epidemiological mechanisms. METHODOLOGY: A systematic review was carried out, with secondary data, using articles published in the following databases: Latin American Caribbean Literature on Science and Health (LILACS), Scientific Electronic Library (ScIELO) and Pubmed; using the descriptors: Guillain-Barré syndrome; Demyelinating Diseases and COVID-19, using the Boolean operator “AND”, swapping between them. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: According to Abu-Rumeileh et al. (2021), patients with COVID-19, even if asymptomatic, were more likely to develop GBS, with a predominance of the male population, in the classic sensorimotor form and in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, with an increase in pediatric cases also being observed, due to of the wide age range of Sars-Cov-2. The post-infection immune-mediated pathophysiological mechanism observed some predisposing factors, namely: neurological symptoms after Sars-Cov-2 infection, improvement of the clinical picture of GBS with immunomodulators and absence of viral RNA in the cerebrospinal fluid. CONCLUSION: Guillain-Barré Syndrome consists of an immune-mediated neuromuscular condition usually subsequent to an infectious process, which triggers an inflammatory response followed by a molecular mimicry that causes an autoimmune response in the individual's peripheral nervous system. Although there is no consensus in the scientific community regarding the causal relationship between COVID-19 and GBS, it is believed that infection with the new coronavirus precipitates an immune-mediated reaction that triggers this neuromuscular condition characterized by progressive, symmetrical and ascending weakness, in addition to areflexia.