Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A Sequela of the Original COVID-19 Infection or Vaccination

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 14; no. 8; p. e28044
• Main Authors: Ilyas, Usman, Umar, Zaryab, Bhangal, Rubal, Shah, Deesha, Fayman, Barry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palo Alto Springer Nature B.V 15.08.2022; Cureus
• Subjects: Allergy/Immunology; Antibodies; Apheresis; Cardiovascular disease; Case reports; Coronary vessels; Coronaviruses; Diarrhea; Dysphagia; Encephalitis; Fever; Guillain-Barre syndrome; Immunization; Infections; Infectious Disease; Influenza; Laboratories; Medical imaging; Musculoskeletal system; Nervous system; Neurology; Ostomy; Pathology; Patients; Physical therapy; Pneumonia; Proteins; Respiratory diseases; Stroke; Systematic review; China
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.28044

Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many studies have reported the association between Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), COVID-19 infection, and vaccination. We present a case of a 62-year-old male who, six days after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination, presented with acute unilateral limb weakness progressing to flaccid quadriparesis and decreased deep tendon reflexes. Of note, he also had four days of diarrhea before receiving the COVID-19 booster shot and tested positive for COVID-19 upon admission. He received five days of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) followed by five cycles of plasmapheresis with minimal improvement in his neurological motor symptoms. Subsequently, he was discharged to an acute in-patient physical rehabilitation facility to improve his strength and mobility further. This case report sheds light on one of the neurological manifestations associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic, which may arise from either the viral infection, vaccination, or both.