Clinical, electrophysiological, and short-term outcome features of Guillain–Barré syndrome: A retrospective cohort study

Aysel Çoban Taşkın; Ebru Bölük; Nazlıhan Ezgi Kavuk; Ufuk Şener

doi:10.66235/kumj.1855891

Clinical, electrophysiological, and short-term outcome features of Guillain–Barré syndrome: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Aims: Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute, immune-mediated disorder of the peripheral nervous system that presents with variable clinical features and shows regional differences in subtype distribution and outcomes. However, data from Western Türkiye remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of patients with GBS and to investigate factors associated with disease severity and short-term outcomes.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the clinical and electrophysiological data of 26 patients diagnosed with GBS from western Türkiye (Aegean region) who were followed up at our clinic between January 2018 and December 2024. Clinical, laboratory, and electrophysiological data were analyzed. Patients were evaluated in terms of demographic features, antecedent events, electrophysiological subtypes, and clinical outcomes, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission and need for mechanical ventilation. Functional status was assessed using the Hughes Functional Grading Scale (HFGSS). Associations were analyzed using univariate comparative statistical methods.

Results: Of the 26 patients (mean age: 51.5 ± 19 years), 34.6% were female and 65.4% were male. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) was the most common subtype (50%), followed by axonal variants. Bulbar involvement and autonomic dysfunction were observed in eight (30.8%) and five (19%) patients, respectively. Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was required in 50% of patients, and 26.9% required mechanical ventilation. Bulbar involvement and autonomic dysfunction were associated with increased need for ICU admission and mechanical ventilation (p < 0.05). The mean HFGSS improved from 2.77 at admission to 1.6 at two months.

Conclusion: Bulbar involvement and autonomic dysfunction may be associated with severe disease and increased risk of ICU admission and mechanical ventilation. These findings highlight the potential importance of early risk stratification and close monitoring in GBS. However, given the retrospective design and small sample size, the results should be interpreted with caution.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

N/A

Ethical Statement

This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Tepecik Education and Research hospital (Decision No. 2025/05-11; Date: June 12, 2025).

References

Habib AA, Waheed W. Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2023;29(5):1327–56.
Sejvar JJ, Baughman AL, Wise M, Morgan OW. Population incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroepidemiology. 2011;36(2):123-33.
Burns TM. Guillain-Barré syndrome. Semin Neurol 2008;28(2):152–67.
Willison HJ, Jacobs BC, van Doorn PA. Guillain-Barré syndrome. Lancet. 2016;388(10045):717–27.
Shahrizaila N, Lehmann HC, Kuwabara S. Guillain–Barré syndrome. Lancet. 2021;397(10280):1214–28.
Asbury AK, Cornblath DR. Assessment of current diagnostic criteria for Guillain Barré syndrome. Ann Neurol 1990;27(Suppl):S21 4.
Hughes, RAC, Newsom-Davis JM, Perkin GD, Pierce JM. Controlled trial of prednisolone in acute polyneuropathy. Lancet. 1978; 312(8093), 750–3.
Uncini A, Ippoliti L, Shahrizaila N, Sekiguchi Y, Kuwabara S. Optimizing the electrodiagnostic accuracy in Guillain-Barré syndrome subtypes: Criteria sets and sparse linear discriminant analysis. Clin Neurophysiol. 2017;128(7):1176-83.

Doets AY, Verboon C, van den Berg B, Harbo T, Cornblath DR, Willison HJ, et al. Regional variation of Guillain–Barré syndrome. Brain. 2018;141(10):2866–2877.
McGrogan A, Madle G, Seaman H, de Vries CS. The epidemiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome worldwide: a systematic literature review. Neuroepidemiology. 2009;32(2):150-63.
Hartung H. Infections and the Guillain-Barré syndrome. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1999;66(3):277.
Gong Q, Liu S, Liu Y, Yao J, Fu X, Xiao Z et al. Guillain–Barré Syndrome Triggered by Surgery in a Chinese Population: A Multicenter Retrospective Study. BMC Neurology. 2021;21:40.
Rees JH, Soudain SE, Gregson NA, Hughes RAC. A prospective case control study to investigate the relationship between Campylobacter jejuni infection and Guillain-Barre syndrome. N Engl J Med 1995:333(21):1374-9.
Sharma, G, Sood, S, Sharma, S. Seasonal, Age & Gender Variation of Guillain Barre Syndrome in a Tertiary Referral Center in India. Neuroscience and Medicine.2013;4(1):23-28.
Webb AJS, Brain SAE, Wood R, Rinaldi S, Turner MR. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015;86:1196–201.
Ropper AH. The Guillain–Barré syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1992;326(17):1130–6.
Wang A, Wang X, Wang X, Li G, Zhong Z. An Analysis of Respiratory Muscle Paralysis of Adult Patients in Guillain–Barré Syndrome: A Retrospective Analysis. Medicina. 2023;59:1267.
Wakerley BR, Uncini A, Yuki N. Guillain–Barré and Miller Fisher syndromes—new diagnostic classification. Nat Rev Neurol. 2014;10(9):537–44.
Rajabally YA. Electrophysiological diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome subtype: could a single study suffice? J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015;86(10):1105–9.
Tatlı GA, Sarıkaya E, Kayım Yıldız Ö. Guillain-Barre syndrome: A single-center experience. Turk J Neurol 2025;31(1):1-8.
Yadav S, Jain P, Sharma S, Kumar V, Aneja S. Guillain–Barre syndrome in North Indian children: Clinical and serial electrophysiological features. Neurology India. 2019;67:724-7.
Hughes RAC, Swan AV, van Doorn PA. Intravenous immunoglobulin for Guillain–Barré syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;9:CD002063.
Raphaël JC, Chevret S, Hughes RAC, Annane D. Plasma exchange for Guillain–Barré syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;7:CD001798.
van Leeuwen N, Lingsma HF, Vanrolleghem AM, Sturkenboom MCJM, van Doorn PA, Steyerberg EW, et al. Hospital admissions, transfers and costs of Guillain–Barré syndrome. PLoS One. 2016;11(2):e0143837.
Bellanti R, Rinaldi S. Guillain–Barré syndrome: a comprehensive review. Eur J Neurol. 2024;31(8):e16365.
Leonhard SE, Mandarakas MR, Gondim FAA, Bateman K, Ferreira MLB, Cornblath DR et al. Diagnosis and management of Guillain- Barre syndrome in ten steps. Nat.Rev.Neurol. 2019;15:671-83.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Aysel Çoban Taşkın ^*
0000-0002-2976-8545
Türkiye

Ebru Bölük
0000-0002-1269-1510
Türkiye

Nazlıhan Ezgi Kavuk This is me
0000-0003-1742-5630
Türkiye

Ufuk Şener
0000-0003-4496-9457
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 16, 2026

Submission Date

January 12, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 12, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 6 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.66235/kumj.1855891

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA39GL99DF

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Çoban Taşkın, A., Bölük, E., Kavuk, N. E., & Şener, U. (2026). Clinical, electrophysiological, and short-term outcome features of Guillain–Barré syndrome: A retrospective cohort study. Kastamonu Medical Journal, 6(2), 186-193. https://doi.org/10.66235/kumj.1855891

AMA

1.Çoban Taşkın A, Bölük E, Kavuk NE, Şener U. Clinical, electrophysiological, and short-term outcome features of Guillain–Barré syndrome: A retrospective cohort study. Kastamonu Medical Journal. 2026;6(2):186-193. doi:10.66235/kumj.1855891

Chicago

Çoban Taşkın, Aysel, Ebru Bölük, Nazlıhan Ezgi Kavuk, and Ufuk Şener. 2026. “Clinical, Electrophysiological, and Short-Term Outcome Features of Guillain–Barré Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study”. Kastamonu Medical Journal 6 (2): 186-93. https://doi.org/10.66235/kumj.1855891.

EndNote

Çoban Taşkın A, Bölük E, Kavuk NE, Şener U (June 1, 2026) Clinical, electrophysiological, and short-term outcome features of Guillain–Barré syndrome: A retrospective cohort study. Kastamonu Medical Journal 6 2 186–193.

IEEE

[1]A. Çoban Taşkın, E. Bölük, N. E. Kavuk, and U. Şener, “Clinical, electrophysiological, and short-term outcome features of Guillain–Barré syndrome: A retrospective cohort study”, Kastamonu Medical Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 186–193, June 2026, doi: 10.66235/kumj.1855891.

ISNAD

Çoban Taşkın, Aysel - Bölük, Ebru - Kavuk, Nazlıhan Ezgi - Şener, Ufuk. “Clinical, Electrophysiological, and Short-Term Outcome Features of Guillain–Barré Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study”. Kastamonu Medical Journal 6/2 (June 1, 2026): 186-193. https://doi.org/10.66235/kumj.1855891.

JAMA

1.Çoban Taşkın A, Bölük E, Kavuk NE, Şener U. Clinical, electrophysiological, and short-term outcome features of Guillain–Barré syndrome: A retrospective cohort study. Kastamonu Medical Journal. 2026;6:186–193.

MLA

Çoban Taşkın, Aysel, et al. “Clinical, Electrophysiological, and Short-Term Outcome Features of Guillain–Barré Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study”. Kastamonu Medical Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, June 2026, pp. 186-93, doi:10.66235/kumj.1855891.

Vancouver

1.Aysel Çoban Taşkın, Ebru Bölük, Nazlıhan Ezgi Kavuk, Ufuk Şener. Clinical, electrophysiological, and short-term outcome features of Guillain–Barré syndrome: A retrospective cohort study. Kastamonu Medical Journal. 2026 Jun. 1;6(2):186-93. doi:10.66235/kumj.1855891