A 52-year-old woman develops ascending weakness over 4 days after a diarrhoeal illness. Examination reveals flaccid paralysis in the legs, areflexia a...

Question

A 52-year-old woman develops ascending weakness over 4 days after a diarrhoeal illness. Examination reveals flaccid paralysis in the legs, areflexia and reduced vital capacity. Which finding would most strongly indicate need for ICU admission?

Accepted Answer

Vital capacity

Answer

Absent knee jerks only

Answer

Mild distal paraesthesiae

Answer

Facial weakness without bulbar involvement

Answer

Elevated CSF protein with normal cells

au-racp MCQ (SBA): Guillain-Barré needing ICU

A 52-year-old woman develops ascending weakness over 4 days after a diarrhoeal illness. Examination reveals flaccid paralysis in the legs, areflexia and reduced vital capacity. Which finding would most strongly indicate need for ICU admission?