Case Report
Fulminant Guillain–Barré Syndrome Post Hemorrhagic Stroke:
Two Case Reports
Sameeh Abdulmana
1
, Naif Al-Zahrani
1
, Yahya Sharahely
2
, Shahid Bashir
1
and Talal M. Al-Harbi
1,
*
Citation: Abdulmana, S.; Al-Zahrani,
N.; Sharahely, Y.; Bashir, S.; M.
Al-Harbi, T. Fulminant
Guillain–Barré Syndrome Post
Hemorrhagic Stroke: Two Case
Reports. Neurol. Int. 2021, 13, 190–194.
https://doi.org/10.3390/
neurolint13020019
Academic Editor:
Takehiko Yanagihara
Received: 8 January 2021
Accepted: 31 March 2021
Published: 6 May 2021
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1
Neuroscience Centre, Neurology Department, King Fahad Specialist Hospital-Dammam,
Dammam 31444, Saudi Arabia; Sameeh.Omar@kfsh.med.sa (S.A.); Naif.Zahrani@kfsh.med.sa (N.A.-Z.);
sbashir10@gmail.com (S.B.)
2
Neurology Division, Medical Department, Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam 31444, Saudi Arabia;
Ysharahely@moh.gov.sa
* Correspondence: talal563@yahoo.com; Tel.: +96-6138442222 (ext. 2270/2278); Fax: +96-6138150315
Abstract: Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute, immune-mediated inflammatory peripheral
polyneuropathy characterized by ascending paralysis. Most GBS cases follow gastrointestinal or
chest infections. Some patients have been reported either following or concomitant with head trauma,
neurosurgical procedures, and rarely hemorrhagic stroke. The exact pathogenesis is not entirely
understood. However, blood–brain barrier damage may play an essential role in triggering the
autoimmune activation that leads to post-stroke GBS. Here, we present two cases of fulminant GBS
following hemorrhagic stroke to remind clinicians to be aware of this rare treatable complication if a
stroke patient develops unexplainable flaccid paralysis with or without respiratory distress.
Keywords: Guillain–Barré syndrome; Guillain–Barré following stroke; intracranial hemorrhage;
hemorrhagic stroke complicated by radiculopathy
1. Introduction
Guillain, Barré, and Strohl first reported Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), or acute
inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, in 1916 [1]. It is characterized by
acute ascending progressive weakness, areflexia, and dysautonomia [2]. Clinically, the
incidence of GBS is rare, at 0.8–1.9/100,000 people/year [1]. Several subtypes of GBS are
well recognized, including acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy
(AIDP), acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy
(AMSAN), and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS).
GBS is thought to result from an immune response that leads to acute polyneuropathy.
It is often triggered by an antecedent infection. Two-thirds of patients report symptoms
suggesting an initial respiratory or gastrointestinal disease [3]. A minority of patients
develop GBS following a vaccine, bone marrow transplant, neurosurgery, or head trauma.
However, in the last few years, growing reports about the concurrence of GBS with unusual
events like intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) have increased with unfavorable prognosis due
to cardiovascular autonomic instability [4].
Here, we report two cases of patients who were diagnosed with GBS following hem-
orrhagic stroke. The first patient developed GBS after endovascular mechanical thrombec-
tomy for acute ischemic stroke complicated by a hemorrhagic transformation. In compari-
son, the second patient developed GBS after hematoma evacuation.
2. Case Presentation
2.1. Case 1
The patient was a 74-year-old right-handed woman. She was known to have type 2
diabetes (DM), hypertension (HTN), and dyslipidemia. She presented to the emergency
department (ED) after six hours of left-sided weakness and dysarthria in February 2019.
Neurol. Int. 2021, 13, 190–194. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint13020019 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/neurolint