What is Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS)
Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a rare, acute autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves, leading to rapidly progressive weakness, tingling, and in severe cases paralysis. It is a neurological emergency because it can affect the muscles used for breathing and therefore often requires hospital care.
Symptoms of GBS
GBS is classified as an acute inflammatory neuropathy in which immune-mediated damage to peripheral nerves (often their myelin sheath) causes failure of normal nerve conduction. Because the process is driven by the person’s own immune system, it is considered an autoimmune disease, often occurring days to weeks after a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection
The hallmark is rapidly evolving, usually symmetrical weakness that most often begins in the feet and legs and then “ascends” to involve the arms and sometimes the facial and respiratory muscles. Many patients also report abnormal sensations such as tingling, numbness, pain, or “pins and needles,” along with reduced or absent deep tendon reflexes on examination