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. 2021 Nov 24;29(2):593–604. doi: 10.1111/ene.15170

TABLE 2.

Additional diagnostic test results in children with AFM and GBS

Procedure AFM, n = 26 GBS, n = 156 p
LP
LP performed, n (%) 23/26 (89) 143/154 (93) ns
Time onset weakness–LP, days, median (IQR, full range) a 1 (1–2, 4) 6 (4–9, 32) <0.001
Raised protein level, n (%) b 12/17 (71) 111/141 (79) ns
Protein concentration in CSF, g/L, median (IQR, full range) c 0.44 (0.30–0.59, 1.39) 0.76 (0.43–1.61, 7.57) 0.004
Leukocyte number in CSF, median (IQR, full range) d 79 (25–149, 414) 4 (1–9, 133) <0.001
CSF leukocyte count ≤ 5, n (%) 3/20 (15) 86/133 (65) <0.001
CSF leukocyte count 5–50, n (%) 5/18 (28) 40/133 (30) ns
CSF leukocyte count ≥ 50, n (%) 11/18 (61) 5/133 (4) <0.001
Cytoalbuminologic dissociation, n (%) e 3/16 (19) 99/132 (75) <0.001
MRI, n (%)
MRI performed 24/24 (100) 16/113 (14) <0.001
MRI lesions brainstem 18/24 (75) 1/8 (13) np
MRI lesion spinal cord 19/23 (83) 0/8 (0) np
MRI nerve root thickening 5/21 (24) 3/7 (43) np
NCS
NCS performed, n (%) 11/26 (42) 96/120 (80) <0.001
Time onset weakness–NCS, days, median (IQR, full range) f 6 (4–9, 14) 9 (5–14, 36) ns
Normal, n (%) 1/11 (10) 8/94 (9) np
Equivocal, n (%) 4/10 (40) 16/85 (19) np
Unresponsive, n (%) 0/10 (0) 1/85 (1) np
AMAN, n (%) 5/10 (50) 8/85 (9) np
AMSAN, n (%) 0/10 (0) 2/85 (2) np
AIDP, n (%) 0/10 (0) 50/85 (59) np

Where p > 0.05, this is mentioned as ns. Due to small patient numbers, not all items were compared (mentioned as np).

Abbreviations: AFM, acute flaccid myelitis; AIDP, acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy; AMAN, acute motor axonal neuropathy; AMSAN, Acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; GBS, Guillain–Barré syndrome; IQR, interquartile range; LP, lumbar puncture; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NCS, nerve conduction studies; np, not performed; ns, not significant.

a

The information on onset weakness and performing LP was available for 15 patients from the AFM cohort and for 117 patients from the GBS cohort.

b

Raised protein was defined as a protein level of >0.65 g/L for the age of 1–3 months, >0.37 g/L for 3–6 months, >0.35 g/L for 6–12 months, >0.31 g/L for 1–10 years, and >0.49 g/L for 10–18 years.

c

The information on protein concentration in CSF was available for 15 AFM patients and 138 GBS patients.

d

The information on the number of leukocytes in CSF was available for 18 AFM patients and 133 GBS patients.

e

Cytoalbuminologic dissociation: protein level > the age dependent reference values and leukocytes < 50.

f

In 52 patients from the GBS cohort, the information for onset of weakness and NCS was missing.