GB Syndrome ; Do not mistake this for a stroke

 Understanding of this rare disorder

You may have heard of the medical term “autoimmune disease” in a very broad & vague sense. In layman terms it is often associated with “Molecular Mimicry” wherein there are similarities between foreign and self-antigen and the body starts to attack its own healthy cells, leaving itself with a very weakened immune system.

Now, when an autoimmune disease occurs in the body in the form of an infection, the body's first response is to go into Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy which is the rapid onset of ascending weakness or weakness going upwards from the leg up due to a slower transmission of electrical impulses to the brain. This is the very first indicator of the GB Syndrome or the Guillain-Barre Syndrome. 

Diagnosis of Deceptive Symptoms

With a symmetrical limb weakness and absence of neurological reflexes (Areflexia) or peripheral neuropathy, this syndrome can greatly mimic the symptoms of a stroke too. There are no tailor made specific tests to diagnose the GB syndrome but Neuroimaging such as the CT scan and MRI scans are more accurate diagnostic tools which can be used to diagnose and differentiate GB Syndrome from stroke. 

The GB Syndrome can be devastating for people suffering from it. Patients typically experience weakness, numbness, and paralysis that ascends up the arms and legs to the torso. With more complex problems ranging from difficulty breathing to total paralysis, early diagnosis and treatment is essential for controlling and managing this life threatening disease. 

Case presented at Sohana Hospital

Sohana Hospital, Mohali the best super speciality healthcare facility in the whole of North India was faced with this rare case of GB syndrome wherein a woman in her mid 30’s was presented with similar symptoms but was continuously misdiagnosed by other hospitals. After 2-4 weeks from the advent of her first symptoms, her condition deteriorated steadily. She was unable to work, walk or eat properly. She experienced extreme discomfort spreading through her whole body. Upon a neurological consult, through rigorous testing and scanning, the patient  was diagnosed with the GB syndrome. An interdepartmental consult with Haematology took place in the wee hours of the morning and the patient was immediately administered doses of Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy (IVIG). This is a treatment option for patients with antibody deficiencies wherein an antibody from the plasma of healthy donors is injected in the body of the patient. Fortunately, Sohana Hospital has the best Blood Bank department and no time was wasted finding blood plasma from any other sources. 

After 8 weeks of rigorous treatment, the patient was discharged with a special diet given to her by the Department of Nutrition at Sohana Hospital and Physiotherapy due to which she was able to walk within 2-3 weeks after her discharge. 

The GB Syndrome is a serious & rare disorder of the body but proper diagnosis and prognosis can save lives of all those suffering because of this. Sohana Hospital Mohali has a team of highly qualified doctors in the field of Neurology and Neurosurgery. You deserve nothing but the best and Sohana Hospital provides complete medical treatments and services for complex and rare neurological disorders. The department is equipped with the best in class state of the art technology to treat patients in an affordable manner.