Sensory Ataxic Guillain-Barré Syndrome with Dysgeusia after mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination

Intern Med. 2022 Jun 1;61(11):1757-1760. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.8967-21. Epub 2022 Mar 26.

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has occasionally occurred in people who have received coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. Dysgeusia is rare symptom of GBS. We herein report a rare case of sensory ataxic GBS with dysgeusia just after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Although autoantibodies against glycolipids were not detected, immunotherapy with intravenous immunoglobulin and methylprednisolone pulse therapy effectively ameliorated the symptoms. Our report suggests that the COVID-19 vaccine may induce various clinical subtypes of GBS, including a rare variant with sensory ataxia and dysgeusia.

Keywords: COVID-19; Guillain-Barré syndrome; dysgeusia; sensory ataxia; vaccination.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Ataxia / etiology
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / adverse effects
  • COVID-19* / complications
  • Dysgeusia / etiology
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome* / drug therapy
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome* / etiology
  • Humans
  • RNA, Messenger
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • RNA, Messenger
  • BNT162 Vaccine