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Síndrome de Guillain-Barré

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  • Descripción general
  • Teoría
  • Diagnóstico
  • Manejo
  • Seguimiento
  • Recursos
Última revisión: 1 Nov 2025
Última actualización: 10 Nov 2022

Resumen

Definición

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • presencia de factores de riesgo
  • debilidad muscular
  • parestesia
  • dolor de espalda/pierna
  • dificultad respiratoria
  • dificultad del habla
  • arreflexia/hiporreflexia
  • debilidad facial
  • disfunción bulbar que causa debilidad orofaríngea
  • debilidad muscular extraocular
  • parálisis facial
  • diplopía
  • disartría
  • disfagia
  • disautonomía
  • disfunción pupilar
  • oftalmoplejía
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • ptosis
  • nivel de alteración de la consciencia
  • ataxia
Full details

Risk factors

  • enfermedad viral previa
  • infección bacteriana anterior
  • infección viral anterior transmitida por mosquitos
  • infección por hepatitis E
  • inmunización
  • cáncer y linfoma
  • edad avanzada
  • Infección por VIH
  • Infección por COVID-19
  • hombres
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • estudios de conducción nerviosa
  • punción lumbar
  • pruebas de función hepática (PFH)
  • espirometría
Full details

Investigations to consider

  • anticuerpo antigangliósido
  • serología
  • coprocultivo
  • anticuerpos del VIH
  • resonancia magnética (IRM) espinal
  • serología de Borrelia burgdorferi
  • Reacción en cadena de la polimerasa meningocócica del líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR)
  • citología de líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR)
  • La enzima convertidora de angiotensina del LCR
  • radiografía de tórax
  • prueba de laboratorio de investigación de enfermedades venéreas (VDRL) en el líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR)
  • Reacción en cadena de la polimerasa del Nilo Occidental en LCR
Full details

Emerging tests

  • estudios por imágenes de ecografía de los nervios periféricos

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

ambulatorios dentro de las 2 semanas desde el inicio o no ambulatorios dentro de las 4 semanas del inicio

Contributors

Authors

Saiju Jacob, MD, DPhil, MRCP (UK), FRCP (Lon)

Consultant Neurologist

Queen Elizabeth Neurosciences Centre

University Hospital Birmingham

Birmingham

UK

Disclosures

SJ has served as an international advisory board member for Alexion, Alnylam, ArgenX, Regeneron, Immunovant, and UCB pharmaceuticals. He is currently an expert panel member of the Myasthenia Gravis consortium for ArgenX, and has received speaker fees from Terumo BCT and Eisai.

Acknowledgements

Dr Saiju Jacob would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr John B. Winer, Dr Michael T. Torbey, Dr Dhruvil J. Pandya, and Dr Prem A. Kandiah, previous contributors to this topic.

Disclosures

JBW, MTT, DJP, and PAK declare that they have no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Cigdem Akman, MD

Division of Pediatric Neurology

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

New York

NY

Disclosures

CA declares that he has no competing interests.

Robert Hadden, FRCP, PhD

Consultant Neurologist

King's College Hospital

London

UK

Disclosures

RH has been paid by Baxter Healthcare Ltd for membership of its neurology advisory board, and is a co-author of several studies referenced in this topic.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Willison HJ, Jacobs BC, van Doorn PA. Guillain-Barré syndrome. Lancet. 2016 Aug 13;388(10045):717-27.Full text  Abstract

Stowe J, Andrews N, Wise L, et al. Investigation of the temporal association of Guillain-Barré syndrome with influenza vaccine and influenzalike illness using the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database. Am J Epidemiol. 2009 Feb 1;169(3):382-8.Full text  Abstract

Hughes RA, Swan AV, van Doorn PA. Intravenous immunoglobulin for Guillain-Barré syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Sep 19;(9):CD002063.Full text  Abstract

Lawn ND, Fletcher DD, Henderson RD, et al. Anticipating mechanical ventilation in Guillain-Barré syndrome. Arch Neurol. 2001 Jun;58(6):893-8.Full text  Abstract

Hughes RA, Brassington R, Gunn AA, et al. Corticosteroids for Guillain-Barré syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Oct 24;(10):CD001446.Full text  Abstract

Walgaard C, Jacobs BC, Lingsma HF, et al. Second intravenous immunoglobulin dose in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome with poor prognosis (SID-GBS): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 2021 Apr;20(4):275-83. Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.

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