GBS Mimics

A comprehensive list of differential diagnoses which may mimic the neurological presentation of GBS is shown below.

Intracranial/spinal cord abnormalities

• Brainstem encephalitis
• Meningitis
• Carcinomatosis/lymphomatosis
• Transverse myelitis
• Cord compression

Anterior horn cell abnormalities

• Poliomyelitis
• West Nile virus

Spinal nerve root abnormalities

• Compression
• Inflammation (e.g. cytomegalovirus)
• Leptomeningeal malignancy

Peripheral nerve abnormalities

There are many causes of peripheral neuropathy:

• Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)
• Drug-induced neuropathy
• Porphyria
• Critical illness polyneuropathy
• Vasculitis
• Diphtheria
• Vitamin B1 deficiency (Beriberi)
• Heavy metal or drug intoxication
• Tick paralysis
• Metabolic disturbances (hypokalaemia, hypophosphataemia, hypermagnesaemia, hypoglycaemia)

Neuromuscular junction abnormalities

• Myasthenia gravis
• Botulism
• Organophosphate poisoning

Muscular abnormalities

• Critical illness polyneuromyopathy
• Polymyositis
• Dermatomyositis
• Acute rhabdomyolysis