April 2021 saw a widespread outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Osaka, Japan. We encountered the case of a 52-year-old man who had Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). After the relief of the respiratory symptoms owing to COVID-19, the patient experienced muscle weakness, which spread from his fingers to his extremities, and was unable to walk. Further examinations revealed mild protein elevation in the cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, nerve conduction studies showed demyelinating polyneuropathy, leading to the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome. After the administration of intravenous immunoglobulin and intravenous methylprednisolone, his symptoms drastically improved, and he was able to walk unaided 21 days after the onset of symptoms. On day 40, the patient was discharged with minimal muscle fatigue. Because Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with COVID-19 is expected to have a good prognosis, early diagnosis and treatment are important. Therefore, Guillain-Barré syndrome should be considered as a possible factor for muscle weakness during and after COVID-19 treatment.
Copyright © 2022 Yoshiki Esa et al.