A fulminant case of Guillain-Barre syndrome: Topographic and fibre size related analysis of demyelinating changes

Abstract

In a necropsy case of early fulminant Guillain-Barre syndrome, demyelinating changes were observed throughout the peripheral nervous system, most conspicuous in the spinal nerve roots. The central/peripheral nervous system transition regions and most proximal zones of the roots escaped damage. In some root areas there were widespread early changes in myelin sheaths in the absence of significant infiltrates of inflammatory cells. In the fibre size analytical study, small myelinated fibres were preferentially involved.