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What constitutes a ‘Good’ recovery outcome in post‐acute Guillain–Barré syndrome? Results of a Nationwide Survey of post‐acute GBS sufferers in the United Kingdom
Author(s) -
Davidson I.,
Wilson C.,
Walton T.,
Brissenden S.,
Campbell M.,
McGowan L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2009.02906.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anxiety , depression (economics) , outcome (game theory) , hospital anxiety and depression scale , guillain barre syndrome , physical therapy , pediatrics , psychiatry , mathematics , mathematical economics , economics , macroeconomics
Background: Eighty percent of people with Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) are said to achieve ‘good’ outcome. ‘Good’ outcome has been defined as either of the top two scores (0 = Healthy, 1 = minor symptoms or signs, able to run) on a 7‐point ordinal scale called the F ‐score. This assessment of ‘good’ outcome appears to be an arbitrary benchmark. This study is the first assessment of the differences in outcome between post‐acute GBS sufferers reporting these scores. It attempts to compare the physical and emotional differences between respondents reporting ‘0’ and ‘1’ on the F ‐Score. Methods: A postal survey was administered to respondents through the UK Guillain–Barré Syndrome Support Group’s national database and included items relating to general patient data, general mobility, F ‐Score, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, SF 36 and Fatigue Severity Scale. Results: One thousand five hundred and thirty‐five members were surveyed, and of 884/1535 (58%) questionnaires were returned. Results indicate significant differences between those scoring ‘0’ on the F ‐Score and those scoring ‘1’ in the post‐acute phase in terms of anxiety, depression, physical functioning, fatigue and wheelchair use on discharge. Conclusions: Significantly poorer outcomes for those scoring ‘1’ on the F ‐Score suggest that only those scoring ‘0’ should constitute a ‘good’ outcome in GBS.