Different Guillain-Barré Syndrome Variants Associated with COVID-19: Report of 4 Clinical Cases

Abstract

Since the first case has emerged, different neurological complications associated with Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have been reported all over the world. The association between coronavirus and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has also been reported before. Unfortunately, there is no certain mechanism about this association yet. Molecular mimicry is one of the first hypotheses to express the undesirable autoimmunity in GBS. According to this; the antibodies produced against virus may target peripheral nerves or spinal nerve roots. The entity of direct viral neurotoxicity has also been discussed. Here, we presented four variants of GBS associated with coronavirus that we followed up in our clinic between September-December 2020. While the first patient had demyelinating sensorimotor neuropathy concurrent with COVID-19, the other ones were postinfectious. The second patient had motor axonal neuropathy and the third one had sensorimotor axonal neuropathy. There was Miller-Fisher syndrome and GBS overlap in the fourth patient.

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Internally peer-reviewed.

Surgical and Medical Practices: Ç.H.Ö., B.H., Ç.E., Concept: Ç.E., Design: Ç.E., Data Collection or Processing: Z.Ü., Ç.H.Ö., B.H., Ç.E., Analysis or Interpretation: Z.Ü., Ç.E., Literature Search: Z.Ü., Ç.E., Writing: Z.Ü.

No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

The authors declared that this study received no financial support.