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Neurological Rehabilitation

Outcomes in Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) Between Black/African American and White/Caucasian Patients

Friday, October 24, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM MT
Location: Kiosk 8
Disclosure(s):
Jeffrey Palmer, Other, II: No financial relationships to disclose
Somtochi Edeh, Other: No financial relationships to disclose
Quinton Johnson, Other: No financial relationships to disclose
Amara Chike, Other: No financial relationships to disclose
Background and/or Objectives: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute autoimmune neuropathy that can lead to paralysis, muscle weakness, sensory deficits, and mortality. Racial disparities in healthcare access and disease outcomes are well-documented, but their impact on GBS outcomes remains unclear. This study examines one-year outcomes (paralysis, numbness, muscle weakness, and mortality) in Black/African American and White/Caucasian patients matched for comorbidities.

Design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using propensity-matched Black/African American and White/Caucasian patients diagnosed with GBS. Matching criteria included comorbid conditions such as diabetes, obesity, pregnancy-related conditions, respiratory diseases, and circulatory diseases. Risk analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and t-tests were performed to assess differences in outcomes between racial groups.

Setting : This retrospective cohort study was conducted at an academic medical center.

Participants : Black/African American and White/Caucasian patients diagnosed with GBS

Interventions: not applicable

Main Outcome Measures: The main outcome measures of this retrospective cohort study were paralysis, numbness, muscle weakness, and mortality.

Results: No statistically significant differences were found between Black and White patients for paralysis (p = 0.163), numbness (p = 0.849), muscle weakness (p = 0.333), or mortality (p = 0.694). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis also showed no significant difference in time-to-event for any outcome.

Conclusions: This study suggests that, after adjusting for key comorbidities, racial background does not significantly influence one-year outcomes in GBS. These findings highlight the importance of equitable medical care and early intervention. Future research should explore healthcare access, treatment differences, and long-term functional recovery to further understand potential disparities.