Inpatient Delirium in Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Frequency and Clinical Characteristics in a Mexican Hospital

Background Delirium has a prevalence of 14%-56% in hospitalized patients. Risk factors include advanced age, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and prolonged intensive care unit stay. Neuropsychiatric symptoms have been reported to be related to autoimmune responses secondary to Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) with direct involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) or to delirium. There are few reports of the frequency of delirium in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Objective To describe the frequency of and the characteristics associated with delirium in patients with GBS. Material and methods A single-center, cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with GBS diagnosis between 2015 and 2019. The diagnosis of delirium was made using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) criteria. We compared patients with and without delirium. We performed both univariate and multivariate analyses to identify factors associated with delirium. Results A total of 154 patients with GBS were included, of which 20 (12.9%) fulfilled the DSM-5 criteria for delirium. The mean age was 48 ± 18.2 years, the median Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score was 29.3 ± 21.9 points, 65% had bulbar cranial nerve involvement, 80% presented autonomic dysfunction, 85% had ICU stay, and 90% had mechanical ventilation requirement. In the multivariate analysis, the following were the independent factors for the development of delirium: age ≥ 60 (odds ratio (OR): 5.7; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-23.5), time from symptom onset to admission ≤ 3 days (OR: 4.3; 95% CI: 1.1-16.8), autonomic dysfunction (OR: 13.1; 95% CI: 3-56), and intensive care unit stay (OR: 9.5; 95% CI: 2.1-42.6). Conclusion Delirium is not frequent in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Patients with advanced age, rapid motor progression, bulbar cranial nerve involvement, prolonged intensive care unit stay, and mechanical ventilation need are more likely to present delirium.