Diagnostic Tests for Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Guillain-Barre Syndrome: Diagnostic Tests
The list of diagnostic tests
mentioned in various sources as
used in the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome
includes:
Guillain-Barre Syndrome Tests: Book Excerpts
Home Diagnostic Testing
These home medical tests may be relevant to Guillain-Barre Syndrome:
- Nerve Neuropathy: Related Home Testing:
Guillain-Barre Syndrome Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
Tests and diagnosis discussion for Guillain-Barre Syndrome:
NINDS Guillain-Barre Syndrome Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)
Guillain-Barré is called a syndrome rather than a disease because it is
not clear that a specific disease-causing agent is involved. Reflexes such
as knee jerks are usually lost. Because the signals traveling along the
nerve are slower, a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test can give a doctor
clues to aid the diagnosis. The cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the spinal
cord and brain contains more protein than usual, so a physician may decide
to perform a spinal tap.
(Source: excerpt from NINDS Guillain-Barre Syndrome Information Page: NINDS)
Guillain-Barre Syndrome: NWHIC (Excerpt)
Guillain-Barre
is called a syndrome rather than a disease because it is not clear that a
specific disease-causing agent is involved. Reflexes such as knee jerks
are usually lost. Because the signals traveling along the nerve are
slower, a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test can give a doctor clues to
aid the diagnosis. The cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the spinal cord and
brain contains more protein than usual, so a physician may decide to
perform a spinal tap. (Source: excerpt from Guillain-Barre Syndrome: NWHIC)
Diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome: medical news summaries:
The following medical news items
are relevant to diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome:
Diagnostic Tests for Guillain-Barre Syndrome: Online Medical Books
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE!
Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the diagnostic tests for Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
FACIAL PARALYSIS:
DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP
(Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs)
Immediate referral to a neurologist is indicated. One should do a complete examination of the ear, nose, and throat to determine if there is any rupture of the drum, discharge, evidence of otitis media, etc. Then x-rays of the mastoids and petrous bones should be done along with tomography. A CT scan of the brain with emphasis on the internal auditory foramina should be done if acoustic neuroma is suspected. Culture of the discharge from the ears and blood culture should be done if there are associated signs of an infectious process. Testing for Lyme disease may be indicated. Spinal fluid analysis should be done to look for Guillain-Barré syndrome. If myasthenia gravis is suspected, a Tensilon test may be done. Spinal fluid culture should be done in cases of brain abscess. Carotid scans and a workup for an embolic source should be done in cases of cerebral vascular accident. Of course, when there is a brain tumor or abscess or a cerebral vascular accident is suspected, CT scans of the brain should be done. If these are not helpful or are inconclusive, MRI of the brain can be done. Glucose tolerance testing should be done to rule out diabetic neuropathy. If lead poisoning is suspected, a blood level for lead should be done.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs, 2003
Paralysis:
History and physical examination
(Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
If the patient is in no immediate danger, perform a complete neurologic assessment. Start with the history, relying on family members for information if necessary. Ask about the onset, duration, intensity, and progression of paralysis and about the events preceding its development. Focus medical history questions on the incidence of degenerative neurologic or neuromuscular disease, recent infectious illness, sexually transmitted disease, cancer, or recent injury. Explore related signs and symptoms, noting fevers, headaches, vision disturbances, dysphagia, nausea and vomiting, bowel or bladder dysfunction, muscle pain or weakness, and fatigue.
Next, perform a complete neurologic examination, testing cranial nerve (CN), motor, and sensory function and deep tendon reflexes (DTRs). Assess strength in all major muscle groups, and note muscle atrophy. (See Testing muscle strength, pages 418 and 419.) Document all findings to serve as a baseline.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition), 2006
Paralysis:
History and physical examination
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
If the patient is in no immediate danger, perform a complete neurologic assessment. Start with the history, relying on family members for information if necessary. Ask about the onset, duration, intensity, and progression of paralysis and about the events preceding its development. Focus medical history questions on the incidence of degenerative neurologic or neuromuscular disease, recent infectious illness, sexually transmitted disease, cancer, or recent injury. Explore related signs and symptoms, noting fever, headache, vision disturbances, dysphagia, nausea and vomiting, bowel or bladder dysfunction, muscle pain or weakness, and fatigue.
Next, perform a complete neurologic examination, testing cranial nerve, motor, and sensory function and deep tendon reflexes. Assess strength in all major muscle groups, and note any muscle atrophy. (See Testing muscle strength, pages 530 and 531.) Document all findings to serve as a baseline.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006
Peripheral Neuropathy:
Diagnostic Approach
(Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis)
Sensory neuropathy symptoms include positive phenomena such as tingling; pins/needles; and burning, cold, or lancinating pain. Physical findings include weakness, fasciculations, atrophy, ataxia, wide-based gait, abnormal sweating, decreased or absent deep tendon reflexes, orthostatic hypotension, hypesthesia surrounded by a zone of hyperesthesia, and vibration or position sense affected before pinprick or temperature sense.
Autonomic neuropathy symptoms include impotence, retrograde ejaculation, diaphoresis, incontinence, urinary retention, constipation, diarrhea, orthostatic dizziness, and flushing. Physical findings include delayed pupillary light response, resting tachycardia, sinus arrhythmia, and orthostatic hypotension.
Sensory loss confined to part of a limb suggests injury to a peripheral nerve, plexus, or spinal root, resulting from trauma, entrapment, or vascular insufficiency. Mononeuropathy multiplex affects multiple nerves over time (e.g., due to diabetes or vasculitis). Polyneuropathy occurs in a stocking-glove distribution starting with the longest nerves, and is due to axonal neuropathy, with a toxic or metabolic origin. Bilaterally symmetrical symptoms are found in polyneuropathy or spinal cord lesions, while unilateral involvement is seen in contralateral disease of the brainstem, thalamus, or cortex.
Injury to large myelinated nerves produces decreased light touch and proprioception with a sensation of “walking on a thick carpet” or imbalance. Injury to medium fibers causes decreased light touch and vibration sense. Injury to small unmyelinated fibers, as occurs in diabetes or amyloidosis, decreases pain and temperature sensation and produces dysesthesias. Disproportionate loss of vibration sense and proprioception compared with pain and temperature sensation occurs with diseases of the dorsal column of the spinal cord (e.g., neurosyphilis, vitamin B 12 deficiency, or multiple sclerosis) and demyelinating polyneuropathy.
Transverse cord lesions produce loss of all modalities below the level of the lesion and a band of hyperalgesia at the level of the lesion. Lateral cord compression is heralded by early sensory changes. Dorsal cord compression affects proprioception and tactile discrimination without pain or temperature loss. Pernicious anemia and tabes dorsalis preferentially affect the dorsal columns.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis, 2007
Paralysis:
Physical assessment
(Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses)
Perform a complete neurologic examination, testing cranial nerve, motor, and sensory function and deep tendon reflexes. Assess strength in all major muscle groups, and note any muscle atrophy. Document all findings to serve as a baseline.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses, 2007
Paralysis:
History and physical examination
(Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)
If the patient is in no immediate danger, perform a complete neurologic assessment. Start with the history, relying on family members for information if necessary. Ask about the onset, duration, intensity, and progression of paralysis and about the events preceding its development. Focus medical history questions on the incidence of degenerative neurologic or neuromuscular disease, recent infectious illness, sexually transmitted disease, cancer, or recent injury. Explore related signs and symptoms, noting fevers, headaches, vision distur-bances, dysphagia, nausea and vomiting, bowel or bladder dysfunction, muscle pain or weakness, and fatigue.
Next, perform a complete neurologic examination, testing cranial nerve (CN), motor, and sensory function and deep tendon reflexes (DTRs). Assess strength in all major muscle groups, and note muscle atrophy. (See Testing muscle strength, pages 410 and 411.) Document all findings to serve as a baseline.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms, 2007
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