Tremor Following Guillain Barré Syndrome

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Neuropathic tremor arises from peripheral nervous system damage.
• Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory nerve disorder causing acute paralysis and potential long-term disability.
• The occurrence and severity of tremor post-GBS are not well-understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency and characteristics of tremor in patients following GBS.
• To compare GBS-associated tremor with essential tremor (ET).

Main Methods:

• 18 GBS patients treated in a secondary care center over 4 years were evaluated.
• The Fahn-Tolosa-Marin tremor rating scale (FTM-TRS) was used for assessments.
• GBS tremor features were compared to a cohort of untreated ET patients.

Main Results:

• Tremor was observed in 89% of GBS patients, predominantly in the upper limbs.
• The tremor was mostly kinetic, jerky, and low-amplitude, with a mean FTM-TRS score of 10.94.
• GBS tremor patients were younger and had lower FTM-TRS scores compared to ET patients (p < 0.05).
• Hospitalization duration correlated positively with tremor severity (p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Tremor is a frequent complication following Guillain-Barré syndrome.
• GBS-associated tremor is generally milder than essential tremor but contributes to functional impairment.