As a COVID-19 vaccination effect, Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological condition, has been detected in individuals after they got vaccinated against the virus.
SciTechDaily report said, in two separate Annals of Neurology journals, India and England-based clinicians reported cases of the said rare neurological disorder.
Both articles described an uncommon variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome, characterized by protruding facial weakness.
In connection to this, seven cases were reported from a regional medical center in Kerala, India, where roughly 1.2 million individuals got vaccinated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
This report also specified, four cases were reported from Nottingham, England, in an area where about 700,000 people were given the same vaccine. All 11 cases were among those who had been given the vaccine, between 10 and 22 days earlier.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome as COVID-19 Vaccine Effect
While COVID-19 vaccines are very safe, researchers specified in their study, "Guillain-Barré syndrome variant occurring after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination", published the Annals of Neurology, that the rare neurological condition has previously been reported in connection with COVID-19 infection itself.
The said cases, according to Neuroscience News, were provided with either "intravenous immunoglobulin, oral steroids, or no treatment."
The researchers also suggested vigilance for occurrences of bifacial weakness with paresthesias strain GBS after vaccination for COVID-19, and that post-vaccination surveillance approaches guarantee sturdy data capture of this result, to analyze for causality.
As of April this year, approximately 1.5 million people in three Kerala, India districts have been vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines.
More than 80 percent of these individuals, about 1.2 million of them, were given the ChAdOx1-S/nCoV-19 vaccine. In this population during the four weeks, between mid-March and Mid-April this year, the study authors observed seven of GBS that took place within two weeks of the initial dose of vaccination.
GBS Frequency
The frequency of the GBS in the said areas was approximated to be a maximum of 10 times greater than anticipated.
In the report from England, the authors wrote, if the association is causal, it could be because of a cross-reactive immune reaction to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and components of the peripheral immune system.
The authors of the two articles underscored that clinicians need to be vigilant in looking for this rare neurological syndrome after getting vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines.
A Rare Neurological Syndrome
Mayo Clinic describes GBS as a rare condition in which the immune system of the body is attacking the nerves. Weakness and tingling in the extremities are typically the first symptoms.
These sensations can rapidly spread, ultimately paralyzing the whole body. GBS, in its most severe form, is considered a medical emergency. Most people suffering from the condition need hospital confinement to receive treatment.
The exact cause of this syndrome remains unknown. However, two-thirds of patients complain of symptoms of infection six weeks earlier. Such symptoms comprise respiratory or gastrointestinal infection or even the Zika virus.
There is no identifies cure for GBS, although several treatments can alleviate symptoms and lessen the illness's duration.
Even though most people are recovering from GBS, the mortality rate is between four and seven percent. Between 60 to 80 percent of people are able to walk at six months.
More so, patients may encounter lingering effects from the syndrome such as numbness, weakness, or fatigue.
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