J Korean Med Sci.  2022 May;37(20):e160. 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e160.

Finger Drop-Dominant Variant of Guillain-Barre Syndrome in a Patient With COVID-19: A Case Report

• Kang M
• Seok HY

• KMID: 2530104
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e160

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 that may trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in selected patients. We describe a case of GBS presenting as marked finger extensor weakness in a 73-year-old woman with COVID-19. Her clinical and electrophysiological findings were consistent with a diagnosis of acute motor axonal neuropathy subtype of GBS with prominent finger dropping. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin for 5 days completely resolved her finger extension weakness after 19 months, although other involved extremities recovered earlier at 3 months. This study highlights that COVID-19-associated GBS can present in various forms aside from the classic variant, even in patients without any COVID-19 symptoms. Therefore, it is important to always consider the diagnosis of GBS in patients with COVID-19.

Keyword

Guillain-Barre Syndrome; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Finger Drop

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Clinical and electrophysiologic findings of the patient. (A) The patient showed bilateral weakness on finger extension, more severe on the right. (B) The finger extension weakness resolved after 19 months. (C) Nerve conduction study revealed axonal motor polyneuropathy on admission with some improvement after 1 year.

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