PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS WHO SHOW AGREEMENT BETWEEN EMG AND CSF FINDINGS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF GBS

Objective: to determine the percentage of patients who show agreement between EMG and CSF findings for the diagnosis of GBS. Study Design: Cross sectional survey. Setting: This study was conducted in the Department of Neurology and Medical ICU, The Children Hospital Lahore, from 01-10-2011 to 31-03-2012. Methodology: 120 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. EMG was conducted and conduction velocities of motor and sensory nerves of lower and upper limbs and amplitude of compound motor action potential (CMAP’s) were checked. After ten days of start of disease lumbar puncture was done with aseptic measures by the researcher and was sent to the central laboratory of the hospital for analysis of CSF. Results: The mean age of the patients was 5.6±2.8 years. There were 72 (60.0%) male patients and 48 (40.0%) female patients. 116 (96.7%) patients had positive EMG findings and 4 (3.3%) patients had negative EMG findings. 66 (55%) patients had positive CSF findings and 54 (45%) patients had negative CSF findings. Thus at least 64 (53.3%) patients had an agreement between CSF and EMG findings. Conclusion: It is concluded from this study that there is strong agreement between EMG findings and CSF findings for the diagnosis of Guillain Barre Syndrome in children.