Epidemiology of Childhood Guillain Barré Syndrome in Yemen

Background: GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome) is one of the most frequently seen acute polyneuropathy encountered in neurology practice and characterized by progressive motor weakness and loss of reflexes. Objective: The main objectives were to determine the incidence of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, distribution of paralysis and hospital outcome of patients within 60 days of admission. Material & methods: The records of all patients followed with flaccid paralysis to the surveillance sites in 11 through the WHO program for Acute Flaccid governorates in Yemen. From 21th September 2004 to 20th September 2013 were reviewed. Those patients suspected to be GBS were examined by a consultant neurologist and pediatric to confirm the diagnosis. At the time of admission specific form was designed to record demographic characteristics, clinical finding and presentation of paralysis. All patients follow up for 60 days. Collected data was entered to Epi info statistical method used by AFP program. Results: During the study period, 808 patients were diagnosed a GBS. Of this 483 (60%) were males and 325 (40%) were females. The age of the patients was ranged (between 1 to 15 years), most of them 457 (57%) were young children of ≤ 5 years old. The overall incidence was 2.8/100,000 population. The outcome of patients showed that 284 (35%) had residual paralysis. 469 (58%) recovered completely, 7 (1%) was lost and 48 (6%) patients died within 60 days of follow up. Conclusion: This study confirms that Guillain-Barré Syndrome is the most common causes of Acute Flaccid Paralysis in Yemen with high morbidity in children.