Do corticosteroids influence the disease course or mortality in Guillain-Barre' syndrome?

Abstract

Forty-six patients of Guillain-Barre' Syndrome were randomized to receive either prednisolone (40 mg daily for 2 weeks and then tapered off) or placebo. The patients were followed up for 6 months and were assessed on an objective scale of disability. The improvement in mean disability grade was significantly better at 2 weeks and 4 weeks in the placebo group as compared to those who received corticosteroids. The difference persisted at 24 weeks, but was statistically insignificant. A greater proportion of patients in the placebo group had improved by at least 1 disability grade at all points of time. The group of patients treated with steroids took twice as long to improve by 1 disability grade as compared to those in the placebo group. At 6 months, 41.7% of the patients in the steroid group had recovered almost completely (good outcome) as compared to 54.5% of the patients is the placebo group. Corticosteroids, therefore, do not appear to benefit GBS patients, and may in fact, delay the recovery from acute illness.

• Authors: N K Singh, A Gupta
• Journal: The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India (J Assoc Physicians India) Vol. 44 Issue 1 Pg. 22-4 (Jan 1996) ISSN: 0004-5772 [Print] India
• PMID: 8773088 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Glucocorticoids
• Placebos
• Prednisolone

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Glucocorticoids (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• India (epidemiology)
• Male
• Neurologic Examination
• Placebos
• Polyradiculoneuropathy (drug therapy, mortality)
• Prednisolone (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Prospective Studies
• Treatment Outcome