[Guillain-Barré syndrome: the International GBS Outcome Study]

The prognosis for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is not as good as might be expected. To define biomarkers for disease activity and recovery and to develop prognostic models to predict the clinical course and outcome in individual patients with GBS, the Inflammatory Neuropathy Consortium (INC), supported by the Peripheral Nerve Society (PNS), has conducted the International GBS Outcome Study (IGOS) since March, 2012, which is a worldwide prospective survey aiming to register at least 1,000 GBS patients. More than 500 GBS patients have been enrolled to date. IGOS will make it possible to better inform patients and relatives about the prognosis for GBS, to understand the mechanism of disease progression and recovery, and to conduct selective therapeutic trials to improve outcome in patients with poor prognosis.