[Guillain-Barré syndrome. Variation on the theme]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Electrophysiology

Background:

• Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), also known as acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, is a primary cause of acute flaccid paralysis and areflexia.
• Electrophysiological findings in GBS typically reveal demyelination, occasionally with concurrent axonal degeneration.

Observation:

• The existence of a purely axonal form of GBS remains debated, with some cases showing rapid axonal degeneration without clear signs of primary demyelination.
• This report details the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of three patients presenting with variants of GBS.

Findings:

• The observed GBS variants included pure demyelination, combined demyelination and axonal degeneration, and a potential primary axonal degeneration.
• Electrophysiological assessments proved capable of distinguishing between these GBS variants.

Implications:

• Differentiating GBS variants through electrophysiology offers insights into the underlying pathogenesis.
• These distinctions are crucial for predicting patient prognosis and guiding treatment strategies.