Open AccessGuillain-Barré syndrome complicated by takotsubo cardiomyopathy: an under-recognised association
Author(s) -
Timothy Jones,
Neelan Umaskanth,
James De Boisanger,
Henry Penn
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr-2019-233591
Subject(s) - medicine , guillain barre syndrome , cardiomyopathy , acute coronary syndrome , chest pain , weakness , myocarditis , pediatrics , cardiology , surgery , heart failure , myocardial infarction
A 41-year-old woman was admitted with progressive paraesthesia and weakness and was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Following an initial period of recovery with intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, she developed acute chest pain associated with electrocardiographic changes. Investigations excluded acute coronary syndrome and instead confirmed a diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which was treated medically. The patient made an excellent neurological and cardiac recovery. Here we discuss the rarely described association between these two conditions and suggest that patients admitted with Guillain-Barré syndrome may benefit from routine screening with echocardiography.