Disclosures: Kirill Alekseyev, MD, EMBA: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest

Case Diagnosis: Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) was diagnosed in a female with symptoms of ataxia, paresthesia, and dysmetria, which was confirmed with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.

Case Description: We present a case report about a 34-year-old female who developed GBS two weeks after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Setting: The diagnosis was made in the acute hospital, and then treatment continued in the acute rehabilitation setting.Assessment/

Results: Results from the CSF analysis were conclusive with physical presentation, and the patient was started on the proper treatment protocol, which included IVIG and high-dose steroids. She continually made progress during her rehabilitation period, and an electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction study (NCS) was scheduled as an outpatient for better confirmation.

Discussion: In 1976, there was substantial evidence of a causal link between the U.S. swine influenza vaccine and the development of GBS. Thus, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) was then established in 1990 as a national system that has helped detect any safety problems with any U.S.-licensed vaccines. To date, the VAERS has reported four cases of GBS after the 1st dose and three cases reported after the 2nd dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Our case will be the fifth reported case after the 1st Pfizer vaccine dose.

Conclusion: It is important to note a patient’s past medical history in the acute rehabilitation setting, including any recent vaccinations. This is because the VAERS requires that all healthcare professionals report adverse events, and all vaccine manufacturers must disclose any adverse events reported to them.

Level of Evidence: Level V

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/guillain-barre-syndrome-two-weeks-after-1st-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine/