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Unusual association of diseases/symptoms
Case report
Guillain-Barré syndrome complicated by takotsubo cardiomyopathy: an under-recognised association
  1. Timothy Jones,
  2. Neelan Umaskanth,
  3. James De Boisanger and
  4. Henry Penn
  1. Northwick Park Hospital, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, Harrow, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Timothy Jones; timothy.jones{at}imperial.ac.uk

Abstract

A 41-year-old woman was admitted with progressive paraesthesia and weakness and was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Following an initial period of recovery with intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, she developed acute chest pain associated with electrocardiographic changes. Investigations excluded acute coronary syndrome and instead confirmed a diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which was treated medically. The patient made an excellent neurological and cardiac recovery. Here we discuss the rarely described association between these two conditions and suggest that patients admitted with Guillain-Barré syndrome may benefit from routine screening with echocardiography.

  • cardiovascular medicine
  • neuromuscular disease
  • peripheral nerve disease
  • clinical neurophysiology
  • heart failure

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2019-233591

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors TJ was responsible for the conception and design of the project and was the main contributor to the manuscript. TJ was also involved in the care of the patient NU significantly contributed to the writing of the final manuscript and has also provided critical revision of the manuscript. NU was also involved in the care of the patient. JDB provided critical revision of the manuscript in the form of advice regarding content and presentation. JDB was also involved in the care of the patient. HP provided critical revision of the manuscript as well as guidance on the conception of the project. HP was the clinician primarily in charge of the patient during the admission.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.