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Sorry to hear about your brother's diagnosis. The best thing you could do for your brother is to support him through this. Guillain-Barre syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which there is damage and loss of the myelin sheath on peripheral nerves. The myelin sheath speeds up the transfer of nerve signals. Therefore there is slower conduction through the nerves, which can lead to weakness, numbness, or tingling depending on the type of nerve involved. Guillain-Barre (GB) affects motor nerves more often and therefore the most significant symptom of GB is weakness, which is classically ascending (starts in feet and travels up the body.) The biggest concern with GB is the potential for respiratory muscle weakness, which could potentially lead to the need for intubation with mechanical ventilation or death. For this reason, all patients with GB should have their respiratory function monitored with breathing test like the vital capacity or the negative respiratory force. If these signs tests show signs of respiratory compromise then appropriate steps can be taken, such as early intubation and mechanical ventilation. Most patients with GB do not have respiratory compromise, but it is still important to watch for.

GB is known to be an autoimmune disease in which the patient's immune cells attack normal nerves. It is believed that the body is exposed to foreign antigens usually by an infection that is similar to normal tissue such as in nerve cells. The immune response is mistargeted against normal nerve tissue leading to GB. There are several things that are associated with GB. The most common infectious agent is Campylobacter jejuni, which is the most common cause for infectious bacterial diarrhea. GB has been associated with other infections and with vaccinations. In many cases the exact cause is never identified.

The treatment of GB is with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) or plasmapheresis. The IVIG is given daily by IV for 5 days. Plasma is the clear part of blood that contains proteins like immunoglobulins (antibodies), which are important in autoimmune diseases like GB. Plasmapheresis is a process in which the plasma is removed through a special IV catheter and new healthy plasma is given back. This removes the bad immunoglobulin (antibodies) from the body and replaces the plasma. More than 80% of patients with GB recover fully within a few months. The rest of the patients have varying degrees of disability. Therefore, chances are that your brother would recover fully with appropriate treatment. Your brother needs your support now more than ever. Good luck to you and your brother.