Acute bulbar, neck and limb weakness with monospecific anti‐GT1a antibody: A rare localized subtype of Guillain‐Barré sydnrome

Acute bulbar, neck, and limb weakness carries several potential differential diagnoses. Although a diagnosis can often be established clinically, investigations such as electrodiagnostic and antibody testing can provide support for the clinical diagnosis and may aid in understanding the pathogenesis. A 65‐year‐old woman presented with acute bulbar, neck, and rapidly progressive bilateral upper limb weakness. Methods: Clinical evaluation, electrophysiological, and serological studies were undertaken. Results: Neurophysiology demonstrated proximal conduction block. A clinical diagnosis of pharyngeal‐cervical‐brachial weakness, a localized variant of Guillain‐Barré syndrome, was made. The patient received treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and made a remarkable recovery over the next month. She was found to have serum monospecific anti‐GT1a antibodies. Conclusions: We report a case of pharyngeal‐cervical‐brachial weakness with monospecific anti‐GT1a antibodies and discuss the differential diagnosis of acute bulbar, neck, and limb weakness. Muscle Nerve 53 : 143–146, 2016