Severe pulmonary hypertension associated with the acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate pulmonary hypertension associated with acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome. Guillain-Barré syndrome consists of a group of autoimmune disorders that generally manifest as symmetric, progressive, ascending paralysis. There are five subtypes of Guillain-Barré syndrome, and autonomic involvement has been described in all subtypes, including cardiovascular, vasomotor, or pseudomotor dysfunction of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

DESIGN

Case report.

SETTING

Tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit.

PATIENT

Three-yr-old female patient.

INTERVENTION

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Serial measurements of pulmonary artery pressure. We report the case of a young girl with acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy who presented with severe cardiovascular collapse secondary to severe pulmonary hypertension. In this patient, multiple factors may have played a role in the development of pulmonary hypertension including autonomic dysfunction, hypoventilation, and immobility as a risk for thrombosis and pulmonary emboli.

CONCLUSION

It is possible that many other individuals suffering from severe forms of Guillain-Barré syndrome, especially those with significant autonomic dysfunction, may actually have undiagnosed and therefore untreated pulmonary hypertension. Therefore, it is recommended that clinicians caring for critically ill children with Guillain-Barré syndrome have a high index of suspicion for pulmonary hypertension and consider echocardiography if there are clinical signs of this potentially fatal process.