Table 1.
GBS patient characteristics in relation to SARS-CoV-2 infection
| SARS-CoV-2 confirmed/probablea |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (n = 49) | Yes (n = 11) | No (n = 36) | P-value | |
| Demographics | ||||
| Median age (IQR) | 56 (37–67) | 63 (60–67) | 53 (32–66) | 0.035* |
| Males/females (ratio) | 31/18 (1.7) | 7/4 (1.8) | 23/13 (1.8) | 0.99 |
| Preceding symptoms (%) | ||||
| Fever | 22/48 (46) | 10 (91) | 12 (33) | 0.001* |
| Respiratoryb | 14/47 (30) | 9 (82) | 5 (14) | <0.001* |
| Gastro-intestinal | 14 (29) | 3 (27) | 11 (31) | 0.84 |
| None | 17 (35) n = 48 | 1 (9) | 16 (44) | 0.039* |
| Days before onset GBS (IQR) | 13 (6–22) n = 31 | 16 (12–22) n = 10 | 12 (5–23) n = 20 | 0.40 |
| Clinical GBS variant (%) | ||||
| Sensorimotor | 35/47 (75) | 8 (73) | 27/34 (79) | 0.69 |
| Pure motor | 3/47 (6) | 0 (0) | 3/34 (9) | 0.57 |
| MFS | 2/47 (4) | 0 (0) | 1/34 (3) | – |
| MFS-GBS overlap syndrome | 3/47 (6) | 2 (18) | 1/34 (3) | 0.14 |
| Ataxic | 4/47 (9) | 1 (9) | 2/34 (6) | 0.71 |
| Neurological deficits at entryc | ||||
| Cranial nerve involvement (%) | 16/47 (34) | 5 (46) | 10/34 (29) | 0.46 |
| Oculomotor | 6 (13) | 1 (9) | 4 (12) | 0.81 |
| Facial | 12 (26) | 4 (36) | 8 (24) | 0.45 |
| Bulbar | 10 (21) | 3 (27) | 6 (17) | 0.67 |
| Median MRC sum score (IQR) | 52 (41–60) n = 45 | 51 (22–54) | 51 (41–59) n = 32 | 0.58 |
| Tetraparesis (%) | 30 (67) | 8 (73) | 22 (69) | 0.73 |
| Paraparesis (%) | 3 (7) | 0 (0) | 3 (9) | 0.57 |
| Sensory deficits (%) | 32/45 (71) | 9 (82) | 21/32 (66) | 0.46 |
| Pain (%) | 22/48 (46) | 3 (27) | 18/35 (51) | 0.16 |
| Ataxia(%) | 15/37 (41) | 3/9 (33) | 11/27 (41) | 0.69 |
| Autonomic dysfunctiond (%) | 11/47 (23) | 4 (36) | 7/34 (21) | 0.42 |
| Days onset GBS-entry (IQR) | 5 (3–10) n = 48 | 9 (3–11) | 5 (2–9) n = 35 | 0.25 |
| Clinical severity of GBS | ||||
| Lowest MRC sum score (IQR) | 47 (33–56) n = 46 | 44 (2–52) n = 11 | 46 (34–55) n = 33 | 0.39 |
| Highest GBS disability score (%) | ||||
| 0–2 | 8/47 (17) | 0 (0) | 8/34 (24) | 0.17 |
| 3–4 | 30/47 (64) | 7 (64) | 21/34 (62) | 0.91 |
| 5 | 9/47 (19) | 4 (36) | 5/34 (15) | 0.19 |
| CSF | ||||
| Leucocyte count (IQR) | 2 (1–3) n = 42 | 1 (1–3) n = 9 | 2 (1–4) n = 31 | 0.50 |
| Protein level, g/l (IQR) | 1.01 (0.49–1.55) | 1.50 (0.85–1.87) | 0.80 (0.45–1.51) | 0.16 |
| Elevated, >0.45 g/l (%) | 32 (76) | 8 (89) | 23 (74) | 0.65 |
| Days onset GBS–spinal tap (IQR) | 4 (2–8) | 4 (2–9) | 4 (2–9) | 0.69 |
| Electrophysiological subtype (%) | ||||
| Demyelinating | 23/39 (59) | 8/8 (100) | 14/30 (47) | 0.012* |
| Axonal | 3/39 (8) | 0 (0) | 3/30 (10) | 0.59 |
| Equivocal | 13/39 (33) | 0 (0) | 13/30 (43) | 0.034* |
| Treatment (%) | ||||
| Intravenous immunoglobulins | 39/47 (83) | 10/11 (91) | 28/34 (82) | 0.66 |
| Plasma exchange | 3/47 (6) | 1/11 (9) | 2/34 (6) | 0.71 |
| Corticosteroidse | 2/47 (4) | 0 (0) | 2/34 (6) | – |
| None | 5/47 (11) | 0 (0) | 4/34 (12) | 0.56 |
Results were given as median (25th–75th percentile) or as counts (percentage). MRC sum score = sum of Medical Research Council scores for muscle groups for shoulder abduction, elbow flexion, wrist extension, hip flexion, knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion of both limbs.
*
Significant values (P < 0.05).
a
Classification by the ECDC case definitions. Unclassifiable patients (n = 2) are not shown.
b
Respiratory symptoms included cough and or dyspnoea.
c
Parameters that could not be examined were coded as missing values.
d
Autonomic dysfunction included disturbances in blood pressure and cardiac, gastro-intestinal or bladder dysfunction.
e
Additional to intravenous immunoglobulins.