MILLER FISHER SYNDROME

Course overview

GUILLAIN-BARRÉ SYNDROME IS A BROAD CATEGORY THAT ENCOMPASSES SEVERAL TYPES OF ACUTE IMMUNE-MEDIATED POLYNEUROPATHIES, THE MOST COMMON OF WHICH IS ACUTE INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING POLYRADICULONEUROPATHY (AIDP). MILLER FISHER SYNDROME (MFS) IS A MORE RARE VARIANT OF GBS AND USUALLY PRESENTS WITH AT LEAST 2 OF THE FOLLOWING FEATURES: ATAXIA, AREFLEXIA, AND OPHTHALMOPLEGIA. MFS IS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE LOWER CRANIAL AND FACIAL NERVES AND DOES NOT USUALLY INVOLVE MOTOR WEAKNESS OF LIMBS. HOWEVER, MILLER FISHER VARIANTS INCLUDING WEAKNESS OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND LIMBS HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED. ANOTHER VARIANT OF MFS IS BICKERSTAFF BRAINSTEM ENCEPHALITIS (BBE) AND INVOLVES ALTERED CONSCIOUSNESS, ATAXIA, OPHTHALMOPARESIS, AND PARADOXICAL HYPERREFLEXIA. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF MILLER FISHER SYNDROME AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF TEAM-BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.