Clinical and Electrophysiological Characteristics and Short-Term Outcomes of Pediatric Guillain-Barré Syndrome in a Latin American Intensive Care Unit

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute polyneuropathy with an incidence of 0.69 per 100 000 children annually. Electrophysiological variants vary geographically, with the axonal subtype more common in parts of Asia; however, pediatric data from Latin America remains limited, underscoring the need for regional studies to inform clinical management. This retrospective cohort study examined the incidence, electrophysiological variants, and clinical outcomes of children under 16 years hospitalized for GBS in an intensive care unit serving approximately 8% of the Chilean population in Santiago (2013-2023). Twenty-one patients (median age: 10 years) were included, with 11 presenting with axonal involvement and 8 with demyelinating features. Four patients required mechanical ventilation—2 in the axonal and 2 in the demyelinating group (median = 22 days, IQR = 9-43)—and 2 patients required tracheostomy. The predominance of the axonal subtype highlights critical considerations for early prognostication, critical care planning, and future inclusion in clinical trials.