No Apparent Risk for Guillain-Barré Syndrome Associated with Vaccination

Concerns persist about an increased risk for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after immunization. Experts have speculated that the immune stimulation, antibody formation, and molecular mimicry triggered by vaccination might cause peripheral nerve demyelination and lead to GBS. A previous, U.S. epidemiologic study showed an excess risk of 1 extra case per 1 million influenza vaccinations (N Engl J Med 1998; 339:1797).

Now, researchers have analyzed data from 1.8 million patients in the U.K.’s General Practice Research Database (from 1992 through 2000) to assess the risk for GBS after immunization of any type. They determined the risks for a GBS diagnosis within 6 weeks after immunization and for a GBS diagnosis at any other time. Analyses were a…