Unusual sensory variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome

Abstract

We describe a 52-year-old woman presenting with acute onset of severe burning paraesthesia in the hands and feet associated with allodynia and antalgic gait. At the time of admission to hospital no motor weakness was present. A diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) was considered when neurophysiological studies were completed showing convincing evidence of demyelination on motor conduction studies and sural sparing on sensory nerve studies.1 We describe this case as a sensory variant of GBS. Clinical improvement followed treatment with a single course of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). The patient made a complete clinical recovery within 6 months of onset and repeat neurophysiological studies showed marked improvement. We encourage clinicians to consider an atypical variant of GBS in patients presenting with acute sensory complaints.

Post COVID-19 Guillain–Barre syndrome presents as sensory dominant neuropathy with reversible conduction failure

“…2 The first NCS in our patient was initially consistent with a demyelinating process, and there are few reports in the literature describing sensory GBS with distal demyelination. 6,7 Clinically, similar to our patient, allodynia was the main presenting symptom in the patient reported by Simproni et al 6 in association with facial, tongue, and hand numbness. 6 In our patient, improvement in facial and tongue numbness was the first sign of recovery.…”

“…6,7 Clinically, similar to our patient, allodynia was the main presenting symptom in the patient reported by Simproni et al 6 in association with facial, tongue, and hand numbness. 6 In our patient, improvement in facial and tongue numbness was the first sign of recovery. Osterlund-Tauriala and Partanen reported 3 patients who also presented with predominant distal sensory symptoms, which also included the trigeminal Neurosciences 2023; Vol.…”

<p>A Rare Case with New Insights: Pure Sensory Guillain Barre Syndrome with Axonal Features</p>

“…NCS findings in cases with sensory GBS are diverse. 4,7,[13][14][15][16][17][18] Classical demyelinating features such as increased SNAP latency, slow conduction velocity, temporal dispersion, and/or delayed or absent F-waves, with or without motor involvement, have been demonstrated in many cases. Less frequently, other cases have demonstrated markedly low-amplitude or absent SNAPs with normal motor studies and F-wave latencies, suggesting axonal injury.…”

“I am not delusional!” Sensory dysaesthesia secondary to degenerative cervical myelopathy

“…The involvement of all four limbs in our patient is consistent with a myelopathic aetiology, however we are unaware of previous reports of such widespread sensory dysaesthesia in DCM. Nonetheless, unusual sensory presentations of other common neurological diseases, such as Guillain–Barré syndrome,13 have been reported.…”