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A Comparative Study of the Frequency and Clinical Presentations of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Ezatollah Abbasi    , Ahad Ghazavi * , Alireza Abdi , Sara Afshari |
| Urmia University of Medical Sciences , ghazavi.a@umsu.ac.ir |
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Abstract: (161 Views) |
Background: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune-mediated polyneuropathy often triggered by infections, including SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about possible changes in the incidence and clinical spectrum of GBS in children.
Objectives: This study aimed to compare the frequency, demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and paraclinical findings of pediatric GBS cases before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in a referral hospital in northwest Iran.
Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study, medical records of children (<18 years) diagnosed with GBS and admitted to Shahid Motahari Hospital in Urmia between March 2017 and March 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized into pre-pandemic (March 2017–March 2020) and post-pandemic (March 2020–March 2023) groups. Demographic, clinical, seasonal, and laboratory data were compared using independent t-tests and chi-squared tests.
Results: A total of 120 confirmed pediatric GBS cases were included (55 pre-pandemic, 65 post-pandemic). The mean age was 5.8 ± 3.4 years, with no significant differences in age, sex, or urban/rural distribution between groups. Classical symptoms such as lower limb weakness, limb pain, and respiratory involvement were observed in both periods. Four post-pandemic patients had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. No statistically significant differences were found in electrophysiological subtypes (EMG-NCV), MRI findings, or inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP).
Conclusion: While a slight post-pandemic increase in GBS cases was observed, there were no statistically significant changes in clinical or paraclinical profiles. These findings highlight the need for larger, multicenter prospective studies to better understand the potential link between COVID-19 and pediatric GBS.
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| Keywords: Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Pediatrics, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Neurology |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
medicine, paraclinic
Received: 2025/06/11 | Revised: 2025/08/3 | Accepted: 2025/07/27
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