Acute Flaccid paralysis in adults: Our experience

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) presents a complex clinical syndrome with diverse etiologies.
• Understanding the specific causes of AFP in adults is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the spectrum of etiologies for acute onset lower motor neuron paralysis in adult patients.
• To identify the most prevalent causes of AFP in a defined adult population.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study enrolled 133 adult patients with weakness of less than four weeks duration.
• Data collection involved detailed history, clinical examination, and investigations guided by a diagnostic algorithm.
• Patients were monitored throughout their hospital stay.

Main Results:

• Neuroparalytic snake envenomation (51.9%) and Guillain Barre syndrome (33.1%) were the leading causes, accounting for 85% of cases.
• Other significant etiologies included hypokalemic paralysis (7.5%) and acute intermittent porphyria (4.5%).
• No cases of acute poliomyelitis were observed in the adult cohort; in-hospital mortality was 9% due to respiratory paralysis.

Conclusions:

• Neuroparalytic snakebite and Guillain Barre syndrome are the predominant causes of acute flaccid paralysis in adults within this study's context.
• The findings underscore the importance of considering these specific conditions in the differential diagnosis of AFP in adults.