Factors Predicting Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation in Guillain–Barré Syndrome

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Background:Up to 30% of patients with Guillain–Barré syndrome require mechanical ventilation and 5% die due to acute complications of mechanical ventilation. There is a considerable group of patients that will need prolonged mechanical ventilation (considered as >14 days) and should be considered for early tracheostomy. The objective of this study is to identify risk factors for prolonged mechanical ventilation.Methods:We prospectively analyzed patients with Guillain–Barré diagnosis with versus without prolonged mechanical ventilation. We considered clinical and electrophysiological characteristics and analyzed factors associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation.Results:Three hundred and three patients were included; 29% required mechanical ventilation. When comparing the groups, patients with prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) have a lower score on the Medical Research Council score (19.5 ± 16.2 vs 27.4 ± 17.5, p = 0.03) and a higher frequency of dysautonomia (42.3% vs 19.4%, p = 0.037), as well as lower amplitudes of the distal compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of the median nerve [0.37 (RIQ 0.07–2.25) vs. 3.9 (RIQ1.2–6.4), p = <0.001] and ulnar nerve [0.37 (RIQ0.0–3.72) vs 1.5 (RIQ0.3–6.6), p = <0.001], and higher frequency of severe axonal damage in these nerves (distal CMAP ≤ 1.0 mV). Through binary logistic regression, severe axonal degeneration of the median nerve is an independent risk factor for prolonged IMV OR 4.9 (95%CI 1.1–21.5) p = 0.03, AUC of 0.774, (95%CI 0.66–0.88), p = < 0.001.Conclusions:Severe median nerve damage is an independent risk factor for prolonged mechanical ventilation.