How is Guillain-Barre syndrome associated with COVID-19 infection differentiated from hypokalemic periodic paralysis? a case report

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) exhibit a range of clinical symptoms, such as cranial nerve paralysis and axonal or motor-sensory electrophysiological signals. CASE PRESENTATION: A 61-year-old retired black African female was brought into the emergency room on 13 May 2022, with a 4-day history of shortness of breath and high-grade fever and a 1-day history of global body weakness (bilateral paralysis of the upper and lower extremities). Motor examination indicated reduced muscular strength in all limbs, with a Medical Research Council score of 2/5 in the right arm of the upper extremities, 1/5 in the right leg of the lower extremities, 1/5 in the left leg of the lower extremities, and 2/5 in the left arm of the upper extremities. Her electrocardiogram revealed ST depression in the anterior-lateral leads and sinus tachycardia. For the COVID-related infection, azithromycin 500 mg per day for 5 days was begun. After cerebrospinal fluid findings supported the diagnosis of GBS, she underwent intravenous immunoglobulin 400 mg/kg every day for 5 days. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: In the majority of COVID-19-related GBS cases, areflexic quadriparesis developed suddenly. A COVID-19 infection related to a GBS case was the only one that had preceding signs, including ageusia and hyposmia. By testing serum potassium levels, this study determined that there is no connection between GBS and hypokalemia, which can lead to diagnostic and therapeutic conundrums by evaluating serum potassium levels, which showed a normal value. CONCLUSION: One of the neurological symptoms of the COVID-19 infection is GBS. Several weeks after a COVID-19 acute infection, GBS is frequently observed.