TY - JOUR T1 - Guillain–Barré syndrome in general practice: clinical features suggestive of early diagnosis JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 218 LP - 219 DO - 10.3399/bjgp16X684733 VL - 66 IS - 645 AU - Virginia A Head AU - Benjamin R Wakerley Y1 - 2016/04/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/66/645/218.abstract N2 - The year 2016 marks 100 years since the first description of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), which is now recognised as the commonest cause of acute post-infectious flaccid paralysis worldwide.1 Although rare (with an incidence of 1–2 cases per 100 000), GBS remains an important neurological emergency. The majority of patients with GBS develop ascending paralysis, which starts in the legs and typically spreads to the arms. Cranial nerve involvement is also common and 25% of patients develop respiratory depression and require mechanical ventilation. In Miller Fisher syndrome, which is a rare variant of GBS, cranial nerve involvement and ataxia predominate. Awareness of early symptoms and signs can lead to earlier referral to secondary care, and therefore earlier treatment. In this mini-review we highlight the core clinical features of GBS and discuss important differential diagnoses.GBS is a post-infectious neuropathy and known to be triggered by certain infections,2 including Campylobacter jejuni, Haemophilus influenza, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Epstein–Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis E, and influenza virus.2,3 One question patients may ask their GP is: can the flu vaccine trigger GBS? Although this was thought to be a problem in the 1976 swine flu epidemic, recent studies have shown that the flu vaccine does not trigger GBS, and in fact patients who contract influenza virus are at greater risk of developing GBS.3A diagnosis of GBS is usually … ER -