Causes And Risk Factors For Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder where an individual's immune system inappropriately attacks the healthy cells that make up their peripheral nervous system. An individual's peripheral nervous system functions to connect their brain to the rest of their body. Symptoms of Guillain-Barre syndrome include a tingling sensation in the legs, tingling in the feet and toes, prickling sensations in the fingers and toes, muscle weakness in the legs, muscle weakness that extends to the upper body, loss of bladder control, difficulty with breathing, paralysis, fast heart rate, problems with swallowing, issues moving the eyes, issues moving the face, difficulty talking, problems chewing, and an inability to walk steadily. Diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome is made with a physical examination, spinal tap, electromyography, and nerve conduction tests. Treatment includes plasma exchange, intravenous immunoglobulin, and blood-thinning medication.

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Campylobacter Infection

Campylobacter infections are found to be the cause of one in every four cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Most individuals who develop Guillain Barre syndrome as a complication of a campylobacter infection will develop symptoms within the two months following their infection. When an individual has a campylobacter infection, their body produces antibodies against certain molecules on the surface of the causative bacteria. These molecules that can be found on the surface of some campylobacter strains tend to mimic certain properties of gangliosides or molecules found on cells in the nervous system. The antibodies that develop during the campylobacter infection in an affected individual's body are then directed in an attack against the nerve cells and their protective myelin sheathing. This attack against the nervous system tissues produces inflammation that blocks the proper conduction of nerve impulses and degradation of the nerve axon. This inflammation in the nerve tissues is what characterizes Guillain-Barre syndrome.

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Epstein-Barr Virus

The Epstein-Barr virus causes patients to develop an infection referred to as mononucleosis. The mechanism of which the Epstein-Barr virus causes an individual to develop Guillain-Barre syndrome is not currently known, but it is thought to be associated with similarities in molecular components in the Epstein-Barr virus and the protective covering of the nerve cells. Just like with certain other types of infections, Guillain-Barre syndrome develops as the result of a mistaken immune system attack on the protective components of the nerve cells. Another reason why the Epstein-Barr virus may cause the development of Guillain-Barre syndrome is this type of infection tends to have its main effects on the central nervous system. The proximity of the infection, the patient's immune system, and their nerve cells may promote the development of Guillain-Barre syndrome.

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Surgery

An individual affected by an existing autoimmune disorder or cancer who undergoes surgery may develop Guillain-Barre syndrome as a complication of their health issues. Individuals who develop Guillain-Barre syndrome following a surgical procedure typically present with indicative symptoms within eight weeks after their surgery. The main types of surgeries known to trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome include gastrointestinal, orthopedic, and cardiac surgical procedures. Most of the surgeries that trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome included the use of general anesthesia. The exact mechanism of how surgery in patients who have existing cancer or autoimmune disorders causes them to develop Guillain-Barre syndrome is not currently known. Some researchers hypothesize the association between surgery, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and Guillain-Barre syndrome is the result of the upregulation of an individual's immune system that occurs during surgery and the healing period following it. Certain antigens released in an individual's body when they undergo surgery can cause the immune system to launch an inappropriate attack on the cells of the nervous system.

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Hepatitis

An individual is at a higher risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome if they become affected by the viral form of hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis E, or autoimmune hepatitis. The exact mechanism of how hepatitis infections cause Guillain-Barre syndrome is not currently known, but it is thought to be associated with elevated levels of certain liver enzymes. Elevations in both alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase are found in the serum of an individual affected by hepatitis-precipitated Guillain-Barre syndrome, as elevations in these values indicate increased inflammation and destruction of liver tissues. Some researchers hypothesize certain antibodies that include GM1, GM2, and GQ1b antibodies take part in the pathogenesis of hepatitis-precipitated Guillain-Barre syndrome in some patients. Due to the association found between the development of Guillain-Barre syndrome and hepatitis infections, it is recommended that any individual affected by hepatic serologic abnormalities and neurological symptoms be evaluated for Guillain-Barre syndrome.

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Age And Gender

Individuals of certain ages and genders may be at a higher risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome than others. Most cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome develop in individuals between fifty and seventy-five years old, with the next most prevalent age group of incidence being those between fifteen and thirty-five years old. Infants and toddlers are at the lowest risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome. It is thought that the incidence of the underlying causes of Guillain-Barre syndrome determines the main age groups that are most commonly affected. Mononucleosis and certain types of hepatitis are more likely to develop in young adulthood, where campylobacter infections, other forms of hepatitis, and cancer are more likely to develop in late adulthood. Evidence indicates men are more at risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome than women, and it is thought that hormones play a key role in the uneven occurrence of Guillain-Barre syndrome between genders. The prevalence of Guillain-Barre syndrome decreases when a female is pregnant and increases in the six months after giving birth.