A case of variant of GBS with positive serum ganglioside GD3 IgG antibody
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Updated: Jun 24, 2025
Preparation of CD4+ T Cells for Analysis of GD3 and GD2 Ganglioside Membrane Expression by Microscopy
Published on: November 8, 2016
Jiao Xue1, Zhenfeng Song1, Hongshan Zhao2
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 1677 Wutaishan Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, China.
Background:
Acute bulbar palsy-plus (ABPp) syndrome is an unusual variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Anti-GT1a and anti-GQ1b antibodies have been reported in patients with ABPp, but without reports related to GD3 antibodies.
Methods:
Clinical data of a patient diagnosed as ABPp syndrome were reviewed clinically. And we summarized the GBS patients with ABP and facial paralysis reported in the literature.
Results:
We reported a 13-year-old girl presented with asymmetric bifacial weakness, bulbar palsy and transient limb numbness, and had positive serum IgG anti-GD3 antibody. Through reviewing the GBS patients with ABP and facial paralysis reported previously, we found that facial palsy could be unilateral or bilateral. The bilateral facial palsy could present successively or simultaneously, and could be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Other common symptoms included ophthalmoplegia, sensory abnormality and ataxia. IgG anti-GT1a and IgG anti-GQ1b antibodies were the most frequent. Most of the patients had full recovery within two weeks to one year of follow-up.
Conclusions:
We reported a patient with asymmetric bifacial palsy and bulbar palsy, which seemed to fit the diagnosis of ABPp syndrome. This was the first report of ABPp variant of GBS with positive serum ganglioside GD3 IgG antibody.
