prognosis
Last reviewed 02/2023
In the most favourable cases of Guillain Barre syndrome, the patient is likely to recover within 3 months. However:
- mortality is about 8% (1)
- 33% have not recovered after 12 months
- of those in respiratory failure, 30% are disabled, 20% severely
- 5% develop a chronic relapsing course
- median time to complete functional recovery is 9 months
- physical signs such as areflexia may persist in spite of a return to normal function
Reference:
(1) Mol Pathol 2001 Dec;54(6):381-5 Guillain Barre syndrome. Winer JB.
(2) Winter et al., 'A prospective study of acute idiopathic neuropathy', J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry (1988); 51: 605-12.