Isolated Acute Dysphagia as a Probable Rare Presentation of Guillain–Barré Syndrome with Complete Recovery: A Case Report

Abstract

Dysphagia is prevalent among the elderly and can lead to serious complications, often manifesting as a clinical symptom of various neurological or muscular pathologies, including Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS). GBS is an acute immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy, and dysphagia may arise during its course due to cranial nerve involvement. In rare GBS variants, dysphagia may present as the initial or sole clinical manifestation, posing diagnostic challenges. In this study, we present the case of an elderly female patient with dysphagia, eventually diagnosed with an atypical variant of GBS. Initially, the patient required nasogastric tube feeding; however, complete recovery was achieved through immunotherapy. This case underscores the importance of clinicians conducting thorough evaluations of factors influencing the swallowing mechanism and remaining vigilant about identifying uncommon causative factors. Such approaches enable the implementation of effective disease-modifying therapies, potentially leading to the resolution of dysphagic symptoms.

Keywords

• Guillain–Barré Syndrome
• acute bulbar palsy
• dysphagia
• video fluoroscopic swallowing study
• immunotherapy