Post-COVID-19 bifacial weakness and paraesthesia: a case report.
Johann Stuby1, René Roth1, Nico Strecker2
1Internal Medicine, Limmattal Hospital Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.
Swiss Medical Weekly
|September 27, 2021
Summary
A rare case of bifacial weakness and paraesthesia, a subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), occurred one month after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This highlights a potential post-COVID-19 neurological complication.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
Background:
- Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system.
- SARS-CoV-2 infection has been linked to various neurological complications.
- The bifacial weakness and paraesthesia subtype of GBS is particularly rare.
Observation:
- A 59-year-old male presented with symptoms including thoracoradicular pain, distal paraesthesias, and progressive bilateral facial palsy.
- Neurological examination revealed hyporeflexia and hypoaesthesia in the lower limbs and hands.
- Clinical, electrophysiological, and cerebrospinal fluid findings confirmed the diagnosis of bifacial weakness and paraesthesia GBS.
Findings:
- The patient experienced a rare subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) one month post-SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy led to prompt clinical improvement within 5 days.
- This case adds to the limited number of documented instances of post-COVID-19 bifacial weakness and paraesthesia.
Implications:
- Bifacial weakness and paraesthesia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of facial nerve palsy following SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- The findings suggest a potential post-infectious complication of COVID-19.
- Further research into the causal relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and this rare GBS subtype is warranted, despite the challenges posed by its rarity.
