A 15 year old white female presents to clinic complaining of numbness in both legs which started yesterday. She has recently recovered from a URI which she had about 10 days ago. She also complains of mild weakness in her proximal muscles. Her condition:
a. may require treatment with IVIG and plasmaphoresis
b. involves degeneration of the anterior horn cells
c. consists of symptoms which wax and wane over time
d. is only viral in origin. She should be sent home and advised to rest and drink plenty of fluids.
The symptoms suggest Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), which may require treatment with:
a. IVIG and plasmapheresis
GBS often follows a viral infection and needs medical treatment, not just rest and fluids. It doesn’t involve degeneration of anterior horn cells or have symptoms that wax and wane.