Guillain-Barre Syndrome Following Seasonal Influenza Vaccination

Abstract

A 77-year-old man with a background of intracranial hemorrhage and hemophilic arthropathy presented with progressive weakness of all four limbs. His symptoms started acutely 8 days after a seasonal influenza vaccination. Physical examination revealed symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and generalized areflexia. Common infectious triggers of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) were ruled out. Neurophysiological studies demonstrated features consistent with GBS. The patient’s hospital stay was extensive and complicated by various comorbidities. Despite intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment, the symptoms progressed to involve respiratory muscles and the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit. The patient’s condition gradually improved after a further course of IVIG, and he was discharged 15 weeks post-admission with ongoing community rehabilitation. The temporal relationship between influenza vaccination and GBS development in this case was suggestive of a vaccine-induced cause, and the clinical implications of this association warrant further research.




J Neurol Res. 2017;7(4-5):97-101
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jnr456e