SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations reduce the prevalence of post-COVID Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) has been repeatedly reported as a neurological complication of COVID-19 (post-COVID GBS [PCG]). Whether the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines reduced the prevalence of PCG is unknown. This narrative review aimed to compare the number of published PCG cases between the second half of 2020 (no vaccination available) with those of the first half of 2021 (vaccination available). A total of 124 articles reported 300 patients with PCG between January 2020 and June 2021. The ages ranged from 7 to 94y. There was male dominance. The latency between the onset of COVID-19 and the onset of PCG ranged from -10 to 90d Acute, inflammatory, demyelinating polyneuropathy was diagnosed in 171 patients, acute, motor axonal neuropathy in 24, and acute, motor, and sensory axonal neuropathy in 16 patients. Regarding treatment, 241 patients received immunoglobulins, 28 patients' plasmaphereses, and 7 patients' steroids. Artificial ventilation was required in 59 patients. Full recovery was achieved in 42 cases, partial recovery in 163 cases, and 17 patients died. The number of published PCG patients fell from 192 in the second half of 2020 to 75 patients in the first half of 2021. It is concluded that the prevalence of PCG has decreased since the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations have a positive effect on the prevalence of PCG.

Differences in Evolution of Epileptic Seizures and Topographical Distribution of Tissue Damage in Selected Limbic Structures Between Male and Female Rats Submitted to the Pilocarpine Model.

Epidemiological evidence shows that clinical features and comorbidities in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) may have different manifestations depending on the sex of patients. However, little is known about how sex-related mechanisms can interfere with the processes underlying the epileptic phenomenon. The findings of this study show that male rats with epilepsy in the pilocarpine model have longer-lasting and more severe epileptic seizures, while female rats have a higher frequency of epileptic seizures and a greater number of seizure clusters. Significant sex-linked pathological changes were also observed: epileptic brains of male and female rats showed differences in mass reduction of 41.8% in the amygdala and 18.2% in the olfactory bulb, while loss of neuronal cells was present in the hippocampus (12.3%), amygdala (18.1%), and olfactory bulb (7.5%). Another important sex-related finding was the changes in non-neuronal cells with increments for the hippocampus (36.1%), amygdala (14.7%), and olfactory bulb (37%). Taken together, our study suggests that these neuropathological changes may underlie the differences in the clinical features of epileptic seizures observed in male and female rats.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations reduce the prevalence of post-COVID Guillain-Barre syndrome

Abstract Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) has been repeatedly reported as a neurological complication of COVID-19 (post-COVID GBS [PCG]). Whether the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines reduced the prevalence of PCG is unknown. This narrative review aimed to compare the number of published PCG cases between the second half of 2020 (no vaccination available) with those of the first half of 2021 (vaccination available). A total of 124 articles reported 300 patients with PCG between January 2020 and June 2021. The ages ranged from 7 to 94y. There was male dominance. The latency between the onset of COVID-19 and the onset of PCG ranged from -10 to 90d Acute, inflammatory, demyelinating polyneuropathy was diagnosed in 171 patients, acute, motor axonal neuropathy in 24, and acute, motor, and sensory axonal neuropathy in 16 patients. Regarding treatment, 241 patients received immunoglobulins, 28 patients' plasmaphereses, and 7 patients' steroids. Artificial ventilation was required in 59 patients. Full recovery was achieved in 42 cases, partial recovery in 163 cases, and 17 patients died. The number of published PCG patients fell from 192 in the second half of 2020 to 75 patients in the first half of 2021. It is concluded that the prevalence of PCG has decreased since the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations have a positive effect on the prevalence of PCG. HIGHLIGHTS SARS-CoV-2 infections can be complicated by Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 associated GBS declined since the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The outcome of SARS-CoV-2 associated GBS is worse among those with comorbidities compared to those without.