To estimate the prevalence of creatine kinase elevation in subtypes of GBS and analyzing its role as a prognostic marker  

GBS is an acute inflammatory neurological disorder affecting peripheral nerves causing muscle weakness. It is classified into two major subgroups- Axonal and Demyelinating.. It is still unclear how CK elevation is related to GBS subgroups or to the clinical profile. In this study prevalence of CK elevation in GBS patients was determined. Also the association of Creatine kinase elevation with different subgroups of GBS and clinical profile were also assessed.

Prospective observational study.

Inclusion criteria:  Patients above the age of 18 years fulfilling the clinical and electrophysiological criteria  

Exclusion criteria: Patients less than 18 years and not fulfilling the clinical or electrophysiological criteria for GBS.

Thirty patients with GBS were prospectively studied. Creatine kinase levels were determined. Clinical profile and electrophysiological results were then compared between patients with elevated CK and those with normal CK values.

Of the 30 patients, 15(50% ), 3(10%), 12(40%) were of AIDP, AMAN and AMSAN subtype respectively.  Ten patients (33%) had elevated CK levels. Among the patients with CK elevated,7 were male and 3 were female, 2 were of AIDP type, 5 were of AMSAN and 3 were of AMAN type. Out of 30 patients, 12 had bulbar involvement. In the patients with CK elevation out of ten, 9 had bulbar involvement. No correlation of Creatine kinase with Hughes disability and MRC sum score were found.

This study shows that Creatine kinase elevation is more common among axonal variants of GBS and among males. Most patients with bulbar involvement had CK elevation. Its role as a prognostic marker needs further evaluation.