Original Paper Eur Neurol 1992:32:274-280
Neurophysiology Department, General Hospital. Athens, Greece: Department of Neurological Science, Royal Free Hospital. Multiple Sclerosis Society Laboratory. Institute of Neurology. Autonomic Investigation Unit, EEG E M G Department. National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery'. London. U K
Key Words Guillain Barré Syndrome Thermal thresholds Motor conduction measurements Sensory conduction measurements
Thermal Thresholds and Motor Sensory Conduction Measurements in Guillain Barré Syndrome: 12-Month Follow-Up Study
Abstract We performed serial neurophysiological tests in 22 patients with confirmed Guillain Barrc syndrome (GBS) for 12 months following onset o f the disease. Twenty-five age- and sex-matched healthy controls were also tested. Tests included nerve conduction and automated quantitative thermal threshold measurements. The commonest early abnormality was delayed distal motor latency. F wave abnormality and abnormal thermal threshold measurements in 1 or more nerves. Further abnormalities o f all measurements were observed during maximum disability. After 12 months, all measured parameters returned to normal levels in the majority o f patients except the thermal thresh olds which remained abnormal in a large proportion o f asymptomatic patients. The findings are suggestive of an early pathological involvement of the smaller nerve Fibres with slow recovery in G B S.
Introduction Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute predomi nantly demyelinating neuropathy and is the most com mon cause o f acute areflexic paralysis. The value o f electrophysiological studies in the diagno sis and prognosis o f G B S have been questioned [1-4] though recent findings have emphasized more specific electrophysiological abnormalities such as proximal and distal conduction block [2, 4, 5]. However, conventional electrophysiological studies re flect the activity o f the fast-conducting heavily myelin ated nerve fibres which form a small proportion o f the total nerve fibres [6], The A8 and C fibres are proportion
Received: April 22.1991 Accepted: September 12.1991
ally the largest groups o f fibres in the human cutaneous nerve [7]. In an attempt to study the global nerve fibre popula tion in G B S , we performed a long-term conventional electrophysiologic and quantitative thermal threshold study.
Patients and Methods Twenty-two patients (12 male and 10 female) were studied. The average age was 49 ± 15 years (range 17-74). All patients were bedbound at the peak of the illness. Their clinical manifestations fulfilled the generally accepted crite ria for diagnosis of G B S [8. 9].
Dr. T .N . Thomaides Research Fellow and Honorary Clinical Assistant Autonomic Unit - E E G E M G Dept. National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Queen Square. G B -Lo n do n W C1 N 3BG (UK)
Neurophysiology Department, General Hospital. Athens, Greece: Department of Neurological Science, Royal Free Hospital. Multiple Sclerosis Society Laboratory. Institute of Neurology. Autonomic Investigation Unit, EEG E M G Department. National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery'. London. U K
Key Words Guillain Barré Syndrome Thermal thresholds Motor conduction measurements Sensory conduction measurements
Thermal Thresholds and Motor Sensory Conduction Measurements in Guillain Barré Syndrome: 12-Month Follow-Up Study
Abstract We performed serial neurophysiological tests in 22 patients with confirmed Guillain Barrc syndrome (GBS) for 12 months following onset o f the disease. Twenty-five age- and sex-matched healthy controls were also tested. Tests included nerve conduction and automated quantitative thermal threshold measurements. The commonest early abnormality was delayed distal motor latency. F wave abnormality and abnormal thermal threshold measurements in 1 or more nerves. Further abnormalities o f all measurements were observed during maximum disability. After 12 months, all measured parameters returned to normal levels in the majority o f patients except the thermal thresh olds which remained abnormal in a large proportion o f asymptomatic patients. The findings are suggestive of an early pathological involvement of the smaller nerve Fibres with slow recovery in G B S.
Introduction Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute predomi nantly demyelinating neuropathy and is the most com mon cause o f acute areflexic paralysis. The value o f electrophysiological studies in the diagno sis and prognosis o f G B S have been questioned [1-4] though recent findings have emphasized more specific electrophysiological abnormalities such as proximal and distal conduction block [2, 4, 5]. However, conventional electrophysiological studies re flect the activity o f the fast-conducting heavily myelin ated nerve fibres which form a small proportion o f the total nerve fibres [6], The A8 and C fibres are proportion
Received: April 22.1991 Accepted: September 12.1991
ally the largest groups o f fibres in the human cutaneous nerve [7]. In an attempt to study the global nerve fibre popula tion in G B S , we performed a long-term conventional electrophysiologic and quantitative thermal threshold study.
Patients and Methods Twenty-two patients (12 male and 10 female) were studied. The average age was 49 ± 15 years (range 17-74). All patients were bedbound at the peak of the illness. Their clinical manifestations fulfilled the generally accepted crite ria for diagnosis of G B S [8. 9].
Dr. T .N . Thomaides Research Fellow and Honorary Clinical Assistant Autonomic Unit - E E G E M G Dept. National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Queen Square. G B -Lo n do n W C1 N 3BG (UK)
![[Acute sensory-motor axonal neuropathy (Guillain-Barre syndrome) following vertebroplasty].](/assets/img/hold.png)
