To correlate the levels of neurofilaments with disease severity and prognosis of Guillain Barre Syndrome patients (GBS)

GBS is an acute inflammatory autoimmune disease of peripheral nervous system. Diagnosis of GBS is based on clinical history and examination and supported by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination and electrodiagnostic studies,due to absence of sensitive and disease specific biomarkers.

• All patients with GBS (based on NINDS diagnostic criteria for GBS) admitted during the study duration were taken for research. Patients were followed up at 4 weeks and 12 weeks and analysed using Hughes Disability score, Erasmus GBS Respiratory Insufficiency Score (EGRIS), Erasmus GBS Outcome Score (EGOS). Quantitative assessment of Neurofilaments (phosphorylated-pNfH, heavy-NfH and light-NfL chains) in serum and CSF is done using ELISA.

 Out of 37 patients,24 were men, (mean age 46.29 years). Antecedent infections was seen in 20 patients. Mean hospitalisation days were 36.25 days in the age group 31-45 years. Nineteen patients (51.35%) had cranial nerve involvement; twenty had sensory motor variant (54%) and thirteen had pure motor variant (35.13%). Electrodiagnostic pattern was demyelinating in 35%. HDS was favourable (0,1,2) in 72.97% at 12 weeks, 27% had respiratory failure and mortality was seen in 13.51%. NfL in CSF is statistically significant with HDS on admission (p=0.040), at 4 weeks (p=0.005), with EGRIS (p=0.047) and EGOS (p=0.041). NfL in serum was correlated at 4 weeks (p-0.013), and 12 weeks (p=0.006). CSF pNfH was significant at 12 weeks (p=0.003).