[Acute polyradiculitis. Experiences in an intensive care unit]

30 patients with acute polyradiculitis treated in an intensive care unit between 1960 and 1974 are described. Intensive care in these patients was indicated mainly for respiratory problems necessitating tracheotomy and, frequently, artificial ventilation. The main complications encountered are described in detail: they are infections of the respiratory and urinary tracts; cardiovascular problems (mainly instability of blood pressure and sinus tachycardia, and sometimes lifethreatening arrhythmias); frequent thromboembolic complications in patients not on anticoagulants; and bleeding (especially from the gastrointestinal tract) even in the absence of anticoagulants. A careful search should be made for glomerulonephritis, "Schwartz-Bartter-syndrome" or difficulties in regulating calcium metabolism. The prognosis is independent of the time course of the disease. The mortality of 23% in this seriously ill group of patients is fairly low, but the results as far as healing is concerned are less good. In only 23% was there complete rehabilitation, whereas 34% had minor and 20% major residual symptoms.