Variant Guillain–Barre Syndrome Following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: Case Report and Review of the Literature

"A 45-year-old man with a history of Crohn’s disease received his first dose AstraZeneca SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Twelve days later, he noticed weakness in the right side of his face and presented to a community hospital where a noncontrast CT head was normal and he was discharged home with a diagnosis of Bell’s palsy. Over the next 2 days, he developed left facial weakness followed by bilateral severe muscle weakness to the point where he was unable to get out of bed. He had bilateral ascending paresthesias to the knee as well as the left upper limb. At this time, he presented again to hospital where he was admitted for investigations... A diagnosis of GBS [Guillain–Barre syndrome] was made and treatment was initiated with IVIg. Two months later, he had regained most of the strength in his limbs. Facial paralysis and ocular motility showed only minimal improvement... 

As mass vaccination campaigns are being carried out worldwide against SARS-CoV-2, reports of GBS are emerging (Table 1). Including the current report, we found 23 cases published in the literature, 21 (91%) of which occurred following AstraZeneca adenoviral vaccination (Table 1). Nineteen of these 21 (90%) cases had bilateral facial palsy... Respiratory symptoms were absent in 65% (15/23), and 17% (4/23) required mechanical ventilation."