Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment with prognosis for the first six months of Guillain–Barré Syndrome in Somalia: Case series

INTRODUCTION: Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute, immune-mediated polyneuropathy that often leads to severe weakness. Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a proven effective treatment for GBS (class 1 evidence). The clinical course of GBS in individual patients is highly variable and difficult to predict. METHODS: It is a retrospective observational study of 10 patients diagnosed with GBS by using nerve conduction studies and lumbar puncture. RESULTS: Fifty percent of the patients were under 40 years old, and ninety percent were male; all but one were treated with IVIG; and forty percent of the total mEGOS obtained was less than 5. The average predicted probability of being unable to walk unaided after 4 weeks was 47.7%, the average predicted probability of being unable to walk unaided after 3 months was 17%, and the average predicted probability of being unable to walk unaided after 6 months was 8.05%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with acute ascending weakness should be identified early, and early IVIG treatment for GBS improves disability as measured by The Modified Erasmus GBS Outcome Scale (mEGOS).