TABLE 2.
Overview of analyses on demographics, diagnostics, treatments and outcomes
| Variable | Prevalence | Associations with COVID‐19 status | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of studies | Pooled estimates (95% CI) | I 2, p for Cochran Q | No. of studies | Estimates (95% CI) | I 2, p for Cochran Q | |
| Demographics | ||||||
| Age (mean, years) | 13 | 59 (57–61) | 0%, 0.705 | 4 | MD = 3.7 (−1.8 to 9.1) | 0%, 0.619 |
| Male sex | 16 | 72.6% (64.5–80%) | 8%, 0.362 | 5 | OR = 1.58 (0.79–3.19) | 0%, 0.521 |
| GBSs subtypes | ||||||
| AIDP | 15 | 73.3% (60–84.7%) | 47%, 0.023 | 4 | OR = 3.27 (1.32–8.09) | 0%, 0.494 |
| Axonal GBSs | 15 | 21.3% (9.9–35.7%) | 59%, 0.002 | 4 | OR = 0.52 (0.08–3.46) | 56%, 0.078 |
| Miller−Fisher | 14 | 7.2% (3.2–12.7%) | 0%, 0.715 | 4 | OR = 1.58 (0.31–8.07) | 0%, 0.976 |
| Specific symptoms | ||||||
| Anosmia/ageusia | 7 | 41.4% (23.5–60.4%) | 46%, 0.088 | 2 | OR = 15.7 (1.89–130.50) | 0%, 0.615 |
| Other cranial nerve involvement | 12 | 42.8% (32.8–53%) | 0%, 0.591 | NA | ||
| Diagnostics | ||||||
| Cytoalbuminologic dissociation | 15 | 56.6% (42.3–70.4%) | 55%, 0.006 | 5 | OR = 1.22 (0.54–2.77) | 16%, 0.311 |
| Ganglioside antibodies | 7 | 18% (2.7–42.6%) | 64%, 0.01 | 3 | OR = 0.19 (0.03–1.39) | 0%, 0.517 |
| Treatment | ||||||
| Intravenous immunoglobulin | 14 | 83.4% (76.2–89.5%) | 5%, 0.397 | 3 | OR = 0.23 (0.05–0.98) | 0%, 0.715 |
| Plasmapheresis | 13 | 13.3% (5.5–23.8%) | 45%, 0.039 | 3 | OR = 0.49 (0.1–2.36) | 0%, 0.77 |
| Outcomes | ||||||
| ICU admission | 10 | 41.4% (30.3–52.8%) | 20%, 0.257 | 3 | OR = 2.41 (0.58–10.04) | 66%, 0.052 |
| Mechanical ventilation | 12 | 34.9% (22.7–48.2%) | 40%, 0.077 | 2 | OR = 3.31 (0.28–39.51) | 56%, 0.132 |
| Clinical improvement | 10 | 71.7% (60.3–81.8%) | 0%, 0.844 | 2 | OR = 1.77 (0.08–38.89) | 73%, 0.054 |
| In‐hospital mortality | 14 | 6% (2.7–10.6%) | 0%, 0.484 | 4 | OR = 1.67 (0.31–9.10) | 0%, 0.640 |
Abbreviations: AIDP, acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy; CI, confidence interval; COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019; GBSs, Guillain−Barré syndrome spectrum; ICU, intensive care unit; MD, mean difference; OR, odds ratio.