No increased relapse frequency in acute Guillain-Barré syndrome after plasma exchange

Relapse frequency in 23 patients with acute Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) treated with plasma exchange (PE) was studied. Fifteen patients showed clear improvement, and 4 patients some improvement during the PE period, whereas 4 patients did not improve in immediate connection to the PE treatment. During the follow up time of 6-96 months (mean 36 months), only one of the 23 patients had a relapse, which appeared after 3 months. This relapse frequency is similar to that reported as the natural history of GBS, and thus, we can not verify the recently reported increased relapse frequency of GBS after PE.