Relationship Between Cerebrospinal Fluid Protein Levels and Electrophysiologic Abnormalities in Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein level is known to be elevated in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). This report correlates the degree of CSF protein elevation with the number of electrophysiologic abnormalities on nerve conduction study (NCS). METHODS: We reviewed 38 patients admitted to our institution with a diagnosis of GBS and had both a measured CSF protein level and a NCS within 24 hours of each other. RESULTS: CSF protein level correlates with the number of NCS demyelination criteria, as described by Cornblath, in patients with GBS. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study is the first to demonstrate a relationship between the CSF protein level and the electrophysiologic abnormalities that accompany GBS.