Guillain–Barré syndrome with weakness confined to the bilateral upper extremities after ChAdOx1-S/ nCoV-19 vaccination

Abstract

Currently, vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is being conducted worldwide, and studies on its side effects are required to evaluate its safety. We report a case of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after vaccination with ChAdOx1/nCoV-19. A healthy 32-year-old man presented with mild weakness in his bilateral upper extremities 19 days after the vaccination. At 24 days after the vaccination, nerve conduction study showed demyelinating neuropathy in the bilateral upper and lower extremities. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) was administered over 5 days, and at the 2-week follow-up after finishing IVIg treatment, the weakness in the upper extremities was fully resolved. Although GBS is an uncommon side effect after COVID-19 vaccination, clinicians should be aware of its possible occurrence. When a patient complains of weakness after COVID-19 vaccination, clinicians should consider the possibility of GBS development.