acute idiopathic polyneuritis

an acute, immune-mediated disorder of peripheral nerves, spinal roots, and cranial nerves, commonly presenting as a rapidly progressive, areflexive, relatively symmetric ascending weakness of the limb, truncal, respiratory, pharyngeal, and facial musculature, with variable sensory and autonomic dysfunction; typically reaches its nadir within 2-3 weeks, followed initially by a plateau period of similar duration, and then subsequently by gradual but complete recovery in most cases. Guillain-Barré syndrome is often preceded by a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection and is associated with albuminocytologic dissociation of the cerebral spinal fluid. Although classically considered pathologically to be an acute, inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (q.v.), pure axon degeneration forms recently have been recognized.

Synonym(s): acute idiopathic polyneuritis, acute inflammatory polyneuropathy, infectious polyneuritis, Landry paralysis, Landry syndrome, Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome, postinfectious polyneuritis

A neurologic syndrome, probably an immune-mediated disorder, often a sequela of certain virus infections, marked by paresthesia of the limbs and muscular weakness or a flaccid paralysis; the characteristic laboratory finding is increased protein in the cerebrospinal fluid without increase in cell count.