Epidemiology and prognostic factors of inpatient mortality of Guillain-Barré syndrome: A nationwide population study over 14years in Asian country.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of inpatient mortality from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), which is a rare and potentially life-threatening polyradiculoneuropathy, in an Asian country, as there are few big-data studies regarding this topic. METHODS: We obtained data regarding patients with GBS from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database admission records. We identified patients with a discharge diagnosis of GBS during 2000-2013 using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification code (357.0), and evaluated their baseline characteristics, clinical complications, and risk factors. RESULTS: We identified 5469 patients with GBS, and the crude incidence of GBS was 1.71 per 100,000 person-years. The inpatient mortality rate was 1.61% (88/5469) and 55 deaths (62.5% of all deaths) occurred before day 19 of the hospitalization (mainly during the progressive phase). The predictors of inpatient mortality included older age, a greater comorbidity burden (especially catastrophic illness), endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, cardiac complications, and systemic infection. In contrast, patients who were admitted to a medical center or Neurology Department exhibited a higher survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: This 14-year nationwide study included the largest analysis of Asian patients with GBS to date, and identified various prognostic factors that predicted inpatient mortality.