Elif Banu Soker, Pamir Bastin, Seda Mencekoglu Bastin, Halil Can Alaydin, Derya Ozdogru, Miray Erdem, Halit Fidanci
The Journal of European Internal Medicine Professionals - 2026;4(2):46-50
Background: This research was designed to evaluate whether comorbid diabetes mellitus (DM) influences the clinical presentation, severity of illness, and short-term functional recovery in individuals suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 77 adult patients with GBS managed at a tertiary care neurological center from January 2020 through December 2025. Participants were categorized into two distinct groups: those with pre-existing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (GBS+DM) and those without (GBS-DM). The comparison focused on demographic data, electrophysiological variants, Medical Research Council (MRC) sum scores, Modified Erasmus GBS Outcome Scores (mEGOS), and discharge functional capacity measured by the Hughes disability scale. Results: In the total sample, 14 patients (18.2%) had diabetes mellitus. The GBS+DM group tended to be older; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.142). The mean mEGOS score was slightly higher in the diabetic cohort (3.8 +/- 2.4) than in the non-diabetic group (3.4 +/- 2.7), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.364). No significant differences were observed regarding electrophysiological subtypes or early functional recovery between the cohorts. Nevertheless, a consistent numerical trend toward greater disability and less favorable prognostic markers was noted in the DM group. Conclusion: Although not statistically significant, our data suggest that the presence of DM might be associated with a more severe clinical course and slower early recovery in GBS patients. Further validation through large-scale, prospective, multicenter trials is essential to definitively characterize the impact of DM on GBS outcomes.
