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H. Richard McFarland, MD
Suite 620 4320 Wornall Rd Kansas City, MO 64111

Arch Neurol. 1993;50(7):687.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.

—The Landry-Guillain-Barré-Strohl syndrome (GBS) or acute demyelinating polyradiculopathy varies from a mild form of symmetrical weakness and areflexia to a fulminate ascending paralysis with cranial nerve involvement and respiratory failure.^1,2 Likewise, treatment may consist of observation to hospitalization with respiratory assistance. Prior to 1950, bronchopneumonia and/or sepsis was the most common cause of death, now it is effectively managed with modern antibiotics. Currently, the majority of preventable deaths result from failure to provide respiratory support and complications relative to tracheostomy or intubation.³ Autonomic nervous system dysfunction with cardiac arrhythmia is another potentially fatal complication that seems to be more frequent now that steroids are in disfavor. While steroids may be effective for chronic and recurrent forms of GBS, and when given in appropriate dosages over a limited period of time may benefit some patients with acute GBS, the majority of recent treatment trials have failed . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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