Patients' attitude towards vaccination after Guillain Barré syndrome

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS) could be triggered by an infectious disease but by vaccination as well. Thus, suffering GBS may influence patients' attitudes towards vaccination. METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire consisting of the Overall Neuropathy Limitations Score (ONLS), the short form‐36 health survey (SF‐36), and questions addressing patients' attitude towards vaccination was sent to members of a German GBS support group and to patients with GBS diagnosis who were treated at Jena University Hospital. RESULTS: Ninety‐seven questionnaires clearly stated GBS as a diagnosis and were included in the analysis. Although 19.6% of the GBS patients reported having no disability in the long‐time follow‐up, a considerable number of patients still had persistent neurological symptoms; 74.2% of the GBS patients reported being able to walk at least 10 m independently. However, 5.2% were restricted to wheelchair. The patients reached lower scores in all domains of quality of life compared to German controls. Moreover, patients showed a more critical attitude towards vaccination compared to a German representative survey. Fewer patients (58.8%) received a vaccination after suffering from GBS than before (77.3%). Every tenth patient believed that vaccination was the trigger for the GBS. 32% of the patients did not receive a vaccination in the last 5 years mainly because of the fear of adverse effects (32%) or disadvise of the general practitioners (25.8%). DISCUSSION: Although the risk of relapse following immunization may be rather low, uncertainties and fears still impair the counseling of these patients by their medical practitioner.