Comparative evaluation of the frequency and clinical manifestations of Guillain-Barré syndrome in children before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abbasi, Ezatollah; Ghazavi, Ahad; Abdi, Alireza; Afshari, Sara

doi:10.48307/FMSJ.2025.29.3.293

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Volume 29, Issue 3 (Bimonthly 2025)

Feyz Med Sci J 2025, 29(3): 293-300

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Comparative evaluation of the frequency and clinical manifestations of Guillain-Barré syndrome in children before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Ezatollah Abbasi

, Ahad Ghazavi ^*

, Alireza Abdi

, Sara Afshari

Department of Pediatric Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran , ghazavi.a@umsu.ac.ir

Abstract: (322 Views)

Background and Aim: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute autoimmune polyneuropathy often triggered by viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2. With the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns have arisen regarding potential changes in the incidence and clinical manifestations of GBS in children. This study aimed to compare the frequency, clinical manifestations, and paraclinical findings of GBS in children before and after the COVID-19 pandemic at a referral medical center in northwest Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional, retrospective analytical study included all children under 18 years diagnosed with GBS who were admitted to Shahid Motahari Hospital in Urmia between 2017 and 2023. Patients were divided into two groups: pre-pandemic (2017–2020) and post-pandemic (2020–2023). Demographic data, clinical symptoms, and paraclinical findings were extracted from medical records.
Results: Of the 120 patients analyzed, 55 were in the pre-pandemic group and 65 in the post-pandemic group. The mean age of the patients was 8.5 ± 3.4 years. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of age, sex, or place of residence. Common clinical manifestations, including lower limb weakness, limb pain, and respiratory involvement, were reported in both periods. In the post-pandemic group, only four patients had a confirmed history of COVID-19 infection. No significant differences were found in electrophysiological findings (EMG-NCV), MRI imaging, or inflammatory markers (ESR and CRP) between the two groups.
Conclusion: Given the limited number of patients with a confirmed history of COVID-19 in the post-pandemic period, a direct association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and an increased frequency of GBS in children could not be established. The findings emphasize the need for prospective, multicenter studies with larger sample sizes to further investigate the potential relationship between COVID-19 and GBS in children.

Keywords: Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Children, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Neuropathy

Full-Text [PDF 390 kb] (91 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: medicine, paraclinic
Received: 2025/06/11 | Revised: 2025/08/20 | Accepted: 2025/07/27 | Published: 2025/08/17

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Abbasi E, Ghazavi A, Abdi A, Afshari S. Comparative evaluation of the frequency and clinical manifestations of Guillain-Barré syndrome in children before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Feyz Med Sci J 2025; 29 (3) :293-300
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