Heavy metals in the enviroment: Guillain-Barré like syndrome

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome is an entity of diverse etiology, characterized by acute, symmetric, ascending and progressive muscle weakness, being one of the most frequent acquired polyneuropathies in childhood. Neuropathies produced by heavy metals, mercury and lead, and metalloids, such as arsenic, organophosphorus pesticides and carbon tetrachloride, should be considered among the differential diagnoses. We present a 14-year-old patient with a presumptive diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome without response to conventional treatment with gamma globulin. Considering other etiologies, heavy metal neuropathy was suspected, and mercury poisoning was confirmed. The aim of this presentation is to make pediatricians aware about the impact of environmental toxic agents on children's health in order to make an early diagnosis by researching key data through the environmental clinical history.