Case of Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy in SARS COVID 19 Pneumonia

Abstract

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome from COVID 19 typically presents with cough, fever, myalgias and progresses to respiratory and multi-organ failure. However, neurological manifestations of COVID 19, namely Guillain-Barre syndrome are rare. We present a case of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), a form of GBS in a patient with recent COVID infection. Case: 66 year old man with no significant medical history presented to the emergency department for progressive weakness of all extremities for 2 days. Patient was diagnosed with COVID 19 three weeks prior to onset of weakness. As per patient, he only had mild respiratory illness with cough, general weakness without respiratory symptoms. Two days prior to presentation, he felt weakness in his lower extremities, which then progressed to involve the upper extremities. On initial evaluation the patient's pupils were symmetric and 3mm, reactive to light, visual field were full to confrontation, cranial nerves intact, shoulder shrug symmetric with full strength. He had decreased motor tone with 2/5 strength in both upper and lower extremities and depressed or absent reflexes in all extremities. His labs were significant for positive COVID 19 PCR and antibodies. CT head was negative for acute stroke or intracranial pathology. The patient was admitted to MICU where he developed respiratory muscle weakness with diminished vital capacity of 12ml/kg and negative inspiratory force of 12mmHg and he was intubated. Cerebral spinal fluid showed elevated protein to 145mg/dL, WBC of 4/UL with 50% lymphocytes and glucose of 67. Other CSF studies were negative for oligoclonal bands, EBV, CMV, cryptococcus, syphilis, and sarcoidosis. Electromyography was consistent with moderate AIDP. He received 5 doses of IVIG with no significant improvement so he underwent tracheostomy and was initiated on plasmapheresis for AIDP. Discussion: GBS is an immune-mediated disease that typically affects the peripheral neurons and nerve roots after respiratory or gastrointestinal illness. Typical infections are Campylobacter jejuni, Zika virus, Influenza, and there are even reports of GBS after MERS and SARS COV-1. However, there has been increasing evidence of COVID 19 causing neurologic manifestations such as encephalitis, meningitis, stroke, and GBS [1]. Patients, such as the one presented in this report with GBS, usually have a long and protracted disease despite aggressive treatments with IVIG and plasmapheresis with reliance on mechanical ventilator. Understanding the full spectrum of diseases and systems affected by COVID 19 can help clinicians provide better care.