Guillain Barre Syndrome - Research Paper Example

? GUILLAIN BARRE SYNDROME Introduction Guillain Barre Syndrome is a combination of various clinical syndromes,which present as a severe inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy that causes body weakness and reduced reflexes. Since poliomyelitis is under control in industrialized nations, GBS is currently the essential cause of severe flaccid paralysis. According to clinical range of symptoms and results, several people suggest that strictly defined GBS subdivisions exist. Nevertheless, such subdivisions are impossible to differentiate. GBS is a diagnosis made via the evaluation of clinical history and results. Discussion Definition Medical experts consider GBS as a disorder whereby the immune system of the body affects peripheral nervous system parts. The initial symptoms of the disease entail different fragility or numbness of legs responsiveness. In various cases, the symmetrical fragility and unusual sensations affects others body parts such as upper body and hands. Such signs can intensify to an extent that some muscles become dysfunctional, and if severe, the person paralyzes. Therefore, the disorder is fatal mainly affecting breathing system, blood pressures and heart rate – medical emergency. Ventilation to aid in breathing and close monitoring for other conditions including heartbeat, clotting of blood increased, or reduced pressure and other infections are crucial for a patient in this condition, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Some patients heal from acute conditions of GBS though a number of them maintain certain body fragility level. GBS can affect either part of the body, and people irrespective of age, sex and economic status. The disease is uncommon, afflicting about one patient in every 1,000 people. GBS appears in some days after manifestation of breathing disorder and viral gastrointestinal problem. Surgery may stimulate the syndrome in certain patients. Sometimes, vaccinations enhance GBS risks. After the initial clinical indication of the condition, its symptoms may continue within days or hours. Various patients reach the extensive weakness stage within the initial two weeks following the manifestations of the symptoms, and in the 3rd week of the condition, about 91% of people are extremely week. Historical background or etiology Jean Baptiste presented the initial recorded information or analysis of GBS condition in 1859. He explained the illness as a severe or adverse upward paralysis. His hypothesis or diagnosis of this illness was regarded as irrational or nonexistent with his peers. His peers concluded that the illness he was describing was the symptoms of other diseases that included acute myelitis and peripheral neuritis. As stated in Jane Pritchard’s article “Guillain Barre Syndrome” (2004) “; however, Landry’s ascending paralysis came to be regarded as a so-called dustbin diagnosis covering a range of entities, including acute myelitis and peripheral neuritis.” Jean Baptiste Octave Landry de Thezillat’s journal on acute ascending paralysis was his last journal written. He later shifted his practice to treating patients with cholera, and he later died of the disease himself at the age of thirty-nine. Twenty-five years passed until the then so called Guillain Barre Syndrome reemerged, (Parry & Steinberg, 2007). In October 1916, Georges Guillain, Jean-Alexandre Barre and Andre Stohl presented a journal on two soldiers that recovered from an acute paralyzing illness to the Paris hospital. In this journal, they described the affects delayed tendons reflexes and where considered twice as normal with nerve conduction being impaired. They additionally discussed the use and technique of lumbar puncture. By using lumbar puncture, they found that the cerebrospinal fluid protein was high, but the cell count was normal. Because of their findings, they were able to isolate Guillain Barre Syndrome as an actual syndrome, and it was no longer considered poliomyelitis. Causes The primary GBS cause is still a mystery even today. Nobody knows why GBS (incommunicable disease) affects some patients and spares others, nor does any person account for what sets the condition in motion. In fact, what experts and medical researchers acknowledge is that the immunity of the body starts to react against the body leading to an autoimmune condition. Mainly, the immunity cells affect only incoming materials and infecting organisms. Similarly, in GBS, the body’s immunity begins to harm the myelin sheath around the various adjoining body axons. The myelin sheath around the axons enhances the transfer of signals of the nerve and promotes signal transfer for longer distances. Damage of the myelin sheath causes inability of nerves to send signals efficiently leading to dysfunctional muscles. Dysfunctional muscles consequently cause skin crawling, tingling and painful sensations Various conditions cause GBS, for instance, about a quarter of patients develop GBS symptoms following respiratory and diarrhea condition. Campylobacter jejuni bacterial infections are a key GBS risk factor. Some flu infections and other illnesses like cytomegalovirus and vaccination may serve as GBS predisposing factors. GBS may manifest along with some viral illness like HIV, mononucleosis and herpes. Similarly, some medical disorders like Hodgkin as well as systemic lupus erythematosis disorders cause the syndrome. Symptoms They include headache, backache, fever and pains in the limbs at the initial phase, and paralysis that begins as tingling and lack of sensation followed by high fragility. The paralysis is gradual and continuous (beginning from the legs and travelling upwards), but the diseases may occur rapidly and infect all the limbs at the same time, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Others like sensation loss, deep nerve and muscle pain are common. Paralysis distributes to the breathing nerves around the muscles of the chest, and under this condition, the patient must be ventilated. Some people suffer permanent condition like severe inflammatory demyelinating polyadiculoneuropathy. Others entail blurred or double vision, immobile face muscles, clumsiness, contractions of muscles ad palpitations. Similarly, emergency symptoms such as breathing problems, swallowing difficulties, fainting, lightheadedness and drooling appear. Diagnosis Various manifestations and indications characterize a syndrome as a medical disorder. Signs are doctor’s observations while symptoms are the patient’s feelings. Both symptoms and signs of GBS can be diverse, and this presents a challenge to doctors attempt to diagnose initial stages of GBS. The syndrome has similar symptoms with several others disorders; therefore, the physicians examine and interrogate their patients before diagnosis. Together, the symptoms and signs create some pattern that aids physicians distinguish GBS from other infections. For instance, a doctor will investigate whether symptoms occur on both body sides (common in GBS) and the speed of symptom appearance. An examination of nerve conduction velocity (cerebrospinal fluid test to indicate increased level of protein and limited white cells) aids doctors in the diagnosis. The clinical measures of upward bilateral fragility, invisible reflexes and slight abnormality of senses shows the diagnosis. Similarly, other tests such as electrodiagnostic analysis will reveal real abnormal nerve pattern of electrical condition of the Guillain Barre Syndrome. Blood examination, electrocardiogram, as well as spirometry, measure the disease extent although they are not diagnostic. Treatment The syndrome is incurable; however, some therapies help to reduce the disease severity and enhance recovery in some patients. Some GBS patients recover within 4-6 months, but the condition may take long to heal, and some patients sustain permanent disability. Ten to twenty percent of GBS patients sustain certain residual weakness, agony or limited mobility. Similarly, 5% of GBS patient lose their lives - during the immobile stage - mainly from cardiac arrhythmias and pneumonia. Supportive measures like physiotherapy, avoidance of DTV with surgical stockings, as well as heparin, relieving of pain, fluids and healthcare attention, are crucial treatment measures. Immunoglobulin treatment that mainly eliminates unusual antibodies that appear as an immune reaction speeds recovery. This treatment is safer and easier compared to plasmapheresis that is crucial to eliminate abnormal antibodies. Although steroids are not utilized, some research suggests that if administered in combination with immunoglobulin they may aid to enhance recovery, (Parry & Steinberg, 2007). Prognosis GBS may be a dreadful disease because of its abrupt and unpredictable onset. Recovery may take months or forever, and some patients survive and heal fully. Researches indicate that about 30% of people sustain certain weakness even after 4 years and mild fragility may persist for certain patients. The results of the patients tend to advance when the indications disappear within initial three weeks following the infection. Current research Scientists are focusing on discovering new cures and enhancing existing treatments. They are additionally investigating immunity functions. They seek to identify the cells responsible for nervous system attack. The fact that several GBS cases start after bacterial and viral invading reveals that some features of certain bacteria and viruses mainly stimulate the immune system, and researchers are looking for such characteristics. Some bacterial and viral proteins may be present in myelin, and the secretion of antibodies to respond to alien agents may stimulate the myelin sheath attack, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Various researchers such as immunological, virologists, pharmacological, scientists and neurological experts are functions collaboratively to invent new strategies of preventing GBS, and make effective therapies that maintain the syndrome. Conclusion GBS is a fatal condition with permanent effects on physical and psychological aspects of patients, therefore, patient education, training and effective preventive measures a recommendable to prevent further complications and aid faster recovery. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). (2010). Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS): Questions & answers. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Parry, G. J., & Steinberg, J. S. (2007). Guillain-Barre? syndrome: From diagnosis to recovery. New York, N.Y: Demos. Read More