<i>Campylobacter jejuni</i> infections and anti‐GM1 antibodies in guillain‐barré syndrome

TLDR

Guillain‑Barré syndrome is a heterogeneous disorder with variable antecedent infections, immunological profiles, clinical manifestations, and treatment responses. The study examined whether anti‑GM1 antibodies and Campylobacter jejuni infections are associated with specific clinical features of GBS. Serum samples from 154 GBS patients, 63 patients with other neurological diseases, and 50 normal controls were screened for anti‑GM1 and Campylobacter jejuni antibodies. Anti‑GM1 antibodies were detected in 20 % of GBS patients and were significantly linked to recent Campylobacter jejuni infection; patients with both markers exhibited a more rapidly progressive, severe distal motor neuropathy and poorer recovery after plasma exchange compared with intravenous immunoglobulin, while C.

Abstract

Abstract The group of patients with Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) is very heterogenous with regard to antecedent infections, immunological parameters, clinical manifestations, and response to treatment. In this study, the presumed pathogenic factors anti‐GM1 antibodies and Campylobacter jejuni infections were related to the clinical characteristics. Serum from 154 patients with GBS, 63 patients with other neurological diseases (OND), and 50 normal controls (NC) were tested for the presence of antibodies against GM1 and C. jejuni . Anti‐GM1 antibodies were detected in 31 (20%) GBS patients, 5 (8%) OND patients, and in none of the NC. Evidence for a recent C. jejuni infection was found in 49 (32%) GBS patients and less often in OND patients (11%) or NC (8%). In GBS patients, the presence of anti‐GM1 antibodies was significantly associated with C. jejuni infections. The subgroup of GBS patients with anti‐GM1 antibodies suffered more often from a rapidly progressive and more severe neuropathy with predominantly distal distribution of weakness, without deficits of cranial nerves or sensory distrubances. The subgroup with C. jejuni infection also more often had a severe pure motor variant of GBS. Recovery of the patients with anti‐GM1 antibodies and C. jejuni infection was not as good after plasma exchange compared with intravenous immunoglobulins.