Recurrent Guillain-Barré syndrome in Japan

The clinical profiles of 11 Japanese patients with recurrent episodes of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), including 3 of our cases out of a total of 76 patients (48 males and 28 females), are reviewed. The recurrence rate was estimated as 4%. Among the 11 Japanese patients, 10 were male. Various viral infections had been confirmed in 1 case. No patients showed recurrent ophthalmoplegia. Sensory involvement varied from one episode to the next. These findings suggest the changing distribution of the demyelinating lesions and possibly a different reaction to the unknown pathogens in the recurrence of GBS.