Prevalence and correlates of blood pressure elevation in children with Guillain-Barre syndrome

While there have been case reports describing blood pressure elevation in adults and children with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), no previous systematic study has explored the prevalence of hypertension in children with this condition. In a retrospective review blood pressure elevation was seen in 20 of 30 (66.7%) patients with GBS admitted to a children's hospital during a 10-year period. There was a significant correlation between highest GBS stage and deviation of systolic blood pressure from age- and gender-specific norms (r = 0.93, p<0.05). Since blood pressure may be markedly elevated in GBS, the clinician caring for a child with this condition should be aware of this complication.