What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome that affects some COVID-19 patients?

Even when scientists around the world are studying the various effects of COVID-19 The virus in patients, a rare complication, has found that the new syndrome affects some coronavirus patients.

Some patients infected with Covid-19 have been found to suffer from Guillain-Barré syndrome (gee-YAH-buh-RAY), also known as GBS. In India, such cases have been reported since August.

GBS is a rare disease in which the body’s immune system attacks nerves. Weakness and tingling in the extremities are usually the first symptoms.

A group of neurologists in Mumbai are currently mapping these cases and their symptoms. To date, 24 cases have been added to the study in which patients developed paralysis due to GBS.

The study hopes to establish a correlation between Covid-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome and will be completed in 3 weeks.

The purpose of this study is to develop an India-specific database of Covid-19 and GBS sent for scientific publication.

What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?

This is a very rare autoimmune disease. The immune system mistakenly begins to attack the peripheral nervous system in an attempt to kill the coronavirus.

The peripheral nervous system is a network of nerves that connects the brain and spinal cord to different parts of the body. Attacking them can affect the functioning of the limbs.

The first symptom of the syndrome is a sensation of itching and itching of the skin, followed by weakness, pain, and numbness. Symptoms may first appear on the feet and hands.

After that, one begins to experience loss of reflexes and paralysis. This may be temporary, but it can last for 6-12 months or more.

GBS is caused by a bacterial or viral infection.Previously, patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome showed GBS symptoms along with patients with Zika fever, HIV, herpesvirus, and Campylobacter jejuni.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome and Covid-19

Covid-19 usually affects digestive, cardiac and renal function. However, some patients are prone to neurological problems when infected with the virus.

When the virus attacks the parts of the brain that form the central nervous system, it can cause memory fog, anxiety, headaches, and depression.

In all of these cases, the virus attacks organs and tissues and causes direct complications.

However, in some cases it can have indirect consequences. It can provoke an immune response that is so strong that the body’s peripheral nervous system can be attacked.

Other cases around the world

In June, the New England Journal of Medicine published an article detailing the cases of five patients in three Italian hospitals who suffered from the syndrome after being infected with the Sars-CoV-2 virus.

The initial symptoms were weakness in the lower limbs and a stinging sensation in the skin.

There is an interval of 5-10 days between the onset of GBS symptoms and Covid-19 infection, but some doctors say it can take weeks after Covid-19 infection to develop GBS. I will.

Last month, the British Medical Journal published a similar case from Japan in which a 54-year-old woman developed numbness and weakness and required two weeks of hospitalization. As a result of the test, she had pneumonia in her chest and the Covid-19 report was positive.

There is some consensus in various studies. Symptoms of GBS appear days after Covid-19 infection. Some patients who had recovered or were about to recover developed the condition, and most recovered.

Study in india

A study is underway in Mumbai led by Dr. Megadam, a principal investigator who is a neurologist at Powai’s LH Hiranandani Dr. Hospital.

The study, which is expected to complete in three weeks, is collecting case studies of GBS Covid-19 patients and mapping their symptoms.

processing

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and sometimes plasma therapy can help recover GBS patients. Some patients develop serious complications and may require intensive care or mechanical ventilation support.

Studies show that patients need to be hospitalized for several weeks. In extreme cases, there is respiratory failure and weakness, which can affect walking and limb movements.

According to neurologists, GBS can leave permanent neurological damage. Most recover completely, but some people may have long-term paralysis of the limbs and weakness of the body.