Plasmapheresis vs Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment in Childhood Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Plasmapheresis (PE) is effective in the treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), but it may be technically difficult to perform in children. We have shown that high-dose intravenous (IV) immunoglobulin is also effective in the treatment of childhood GBS.1To compare the therapeutic efficacy of IV immunoglobulin and PE, we retrospectively reviewed the charts of 15 consecutive children with a severe form of GBS (functional disability score of grade 4 or worse) who were treated with one of these methods. Patient Reports.Seven girls and eight boys were treated during the past 5 years. Their mean age was 10.7 years (range, 4 to 16 years). All the children met the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke criteria for the diagnosis of GBS.2All patients, except one with normal laboratory results, had characteristic cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities. Furthermore, all patients had at least one abnormality on nerve conduction