Table 3 Clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcome comparing axonal versus demyelinating subtypes of GBS
Variable | Axonal (AMAN and AMSAN), (N = 71) | Demyelinating (AIDP) (N = 55) | P-value | OR (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N (%) or Median (IQR) | N (%) or Median (IQR) | |||
Age, years | 38 (26–54) | 39 (28–50) | 0.88 | |
Sex (men) | 40/71 (56.3) | 36/55 (65.6) | 0.30 | |
Time of antecedent event before symptom onset, days | 10 (7–14) | 14 (7–21) | 0.14 | |
Time from symptom onset to presentation, days | 6 (2–13) | 7 (4–14) | 0.043 | |
Clinical features at admission | ||||
Ophthalmoplegia | 3/68 (4.4) | 3/55 (5.5) | 1.0 | |
Facial diplegia | 27/68 (39.7) | 28/55 (50.9) | 0.21 | |
Oropharyngeal weakness | 24/69 (34.8) | 17/55 (30.9) | 0.65 | |
Able to walk independently | 16/68 (23.5) | 25/53 (47.2) | 0.006 | 2.9 (1.3–6.3) |
Antecedent infection | ||||
URTI | 15/64 (23.4) | 27/50 (54.0) | 0.001 | 3.8 (1.7–8.6) |
Diarrhea | 27/64 (42.2) | 9/50 (18.0) | 0.006 | 3.3 (1.4–8.0) |
Investigations | ||||
CSF protein level, g/L | 0.65 (0.39–1.1) | 0.8 (0.51–1.4) | 0.27* | |
CSF protein > 0.45 g/L | 38/57 (66.7) | 35/44 (79.5) | 0.15 | |
Cell count > 5/µl | 3/57 (5.3) | 4/44 (9.1) | 0.70 | |
Low FVC | 13/39 (33.3) | 9/34 (26.5) | 0.52 | |
Nerve root enhancement on MRI | 16/52 (30.8) | 10/34 (29.4) | 0.89 | |
Hospital course | ||||
Repeated therapy | 23/68 (33.8) | 8/53 (15.1) | 0.019 | 2.9 (1.2–7.1) |
ICU admission | 30/71 (42.3) | 12/54 (22.2) | 0.019 | 2.6 (1.2–5.7) |
Mechanical ventilation | 26/58 (44.8) | 8/48 (16.7) | 0.002 | 4.1 (1.6–10.2) |
Tracheostomy | 17/56 (30.4) | 3/47 (6.4) | 0.002 | 6.4 (1.7–23.5) |
Duration of ICU stay, days | 28 (15–70) | 12 (7–19.5) | 0.10 | |
Duration of hospitalization, weeks | 4 (1.4–13.8) | 2 (1–4) | 0.003 | |
Outcome | ||||
Able to walk independently at follow-up | 38/53 (71.7) | 38/43 (88.4) | 0.045 | 3 (1.0–9.1) |
Duration of follow-up, months | 11 (4.6–17.4) | 5 (2–12) | 0.03 | |