Case report: COVID-19-associated refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura complicated with Guillain-Barré syndrome

Rui Zhou; Shenjian Chen; Qinghua Luo; Xinyue Zhang; Fang Li; Wei Huang; Zhiyong Sheng

doi:10.3389/fneur.2023.1199889

Case report: COVID-19-associated refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura complicated with Guillain-Barré syndrome

Front Neurol. 2023 May 24:14:1199889. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1199889. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Rui Zhou^#^{1

2}, Shenjian Chen^#^{1

2}, Qinghua Luo³, Xinyue Zhang², Fang Li², Wei Huang^{1

2}, Zhiyong Sheng^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurological Intensive Care Unit, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
² Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
³ The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a rare and lethal thrombotic microangiopathy, is an autoimmune disease that can be triggered by viral infections such as COVID-19. This condition is characterized by hemolytic microangiopathy, thrombocytopenia, and neurologic alterations, possibly accompanied by fever and renal damage. Moreover, more than 220 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) have been reported in association with the COVID-19 infection. In this report, we present a case of a patient who developed refractory TTP complicated by GBS following a SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to highlight the importance of accurately diagnosing neurological complications associated with a COVID-19 infection and to demonstrate our strategies for treating a patient with COVID-19 infection-related refractory TTP complicated by GBS.

Keywords: ADAMTS-13; COVID-19; Guillain-Barré syndrome; rituximab; thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Publication types

Case Reports