Octave Landry: Guillain-Barré syndrome

The clinical features of Guillain-Barré syndrome were initially described by Octave Landry in 1859. Subsequently, Guillain, Barré, and Strohl described a similar syndrome that also displayed a marked increase in cerebrospinal fluid albumin without an increase in white blood cells--an "albuminocytologic dissociation." The hallmark clinical findings in Guillain-Barré syndrome are symmetrical ascending paralysis and areflexia. The differential diagnosis is large, and early cases are often misdiagnosed. Of importance to the emergency physician are the various spinal cord compression syndromes that may present in similar fashion. Acute therapy includes hospitalization and frequent assessment of vital capacity to determine the need for ventilatory assistance.