INTRODUCTIONSevere Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) causes ventilatory insufficiency and the need for prolonged artificial ventilation. Under circumstances where medical care for patients with severe GBS is required in a resource-limited institution, identifying initial clinical presentations in GBS patients that can predict respiratory insufficiency and the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation (> 15 days) may be helpful for advanced care planning.

METHODSThe medical records of patients diagnosed with GBS in a tertiary care and medical teaching hospital from January 2001 to December 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. The demographic data and clinical presentations of the patients were summarised using descriptive statistics. Clinical predictors of respiratory insufficiency and the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation (> 15 days) were identified using univariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSA total of 55 patients with GBS were included in this study. Mechanical ventilation was needed in 28 (50.9%) patients. Significant clinical predictors for respiratory insufficiency were bulbar muscle weakness (odds ratio [OR] 5.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31-21.60, p = 0.007) and time to peak limb weakness ≤ 5 days (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.62-0.91, p < 0.001). Bulbar muscle weakness (p = 0.006) and time to peak limb weakness ≤ 5 days (p < 0.001) were also found to be significantly associated with the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation (> 15 days).

CONCLUSIONBulbar weakness and time to peak limb weakness ≤ 5 days were able to predict respiratory insufficiency and the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients with GBS.