An analysis of twenty-three cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome in children, who had been observed during the 5-year period from January, 1972 to December, 1976 in the department of pediatrics of Chungnam National University Hospital, was reported.
Results are as follows:
1. The incidence was highest in 3 to 6 years of age and the male to female ratio was 2.3:1..
The majority of cases occurred in 1974 and 1975.
A trend toward greater incidence during summer months was observed.
2. Sixteen cases had preceding illnesses, eleven of them upper respiratory tract infection.
3. Common symptoms and signs at admission were muscular weakness or paralysis, swa￢llowing difficulty, nuchal rigidity and sensory change in the order of frequency, and the last ones appeared in 4 cases.
4. Distributions of paralysis were as follows: lower extremities in 23 cases, upper extremities in 20, cranial nerves in 14(1(, X nerves in 12 and VI nerve in 2) and respiratory muscle in one.
5. In the cerebrospinal fluid examination of 23 cases at admission, 10 cases showed .
normal leukocytes counts and 13 elevations of protein level. About 1 week later, out of 12 cases, 10 showed. normal leukocytes counts and elevations of protein level.
6. Of throat swabs in 9 cases, Staphylococcus aureus and group A beta-hemolytic
Streptococcus were grown in 5 and 2 cases, respectively.
7. Seven cases(30.4%) showed abnormal lung findings, among which 4 were aspiration pneumonia and the remainders bacterial pneumonia, atelectasis and tuberculosis. Paralysis of. ]X, X nerves were the most frequent predisposing factors of them.
8. Overall recovery rate was 61% and one case died.
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