Latest news with #GuillainBarréSyndrome
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Patient left to 'waste away' on wrong hospital ward
An engineer says he was "left to waste away" after he developed a rare medical condition that has left him in hospital for more than 200 days. Kevin Heard, 56, said he developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune condition, after he carried on working despite a bad case of flu. He now uses a wheelchair and is currently unable to write. Mr Heard, from Sutton Benger in Wiltshire, claimed he was placed on the wrong ward, which hindered his recovery, but hopes to raise awareness of the illness which affects 1,300 people in the UK every year. Luisa Goddard, chief nurse at Great Western Hospital, said she was "sorry that Mr Heard's experience did not reflect the standards we strive to uphold". Mr Heard, who was previously healthy, said that his recovery had not been aided by being placed on a respiratory ward, when he should have been on a neurology ward, which prevented him from receiving necessary physiotherapy. He said: "There is another side to my battle with my recovery that is to do with the NHS and how I've been treated. I was put on an incorrect ward and left to waste away." Ms Goddard said that when their neurology beds are full, "patients may need to be cared for in other parts of the hospital". She said: "Following Mr Heard's feedback, we have taken steps to review and improve our approach to patients who need enhanced care and specialist support for complex conditions such as Guillain-Barre syndrome. "We are also placing a renewed focus on preventing deconditioning and ensuring patients remain active and independent during their hospital stay through additional training, regular monitoring and meaningful activities for patients." Mr Heard now hopes to be able to leave Chippenham Community Hospital by the end of August. He said his illness began with a persistent cold and cough last summer. "I then got the flu, but I carried on working," he said. "By the middle of November, my left leg was starting to lose power, and my left hand side of my body had started to give problems, so I thought I was having a stroke. "I admitted myself into Great Western Hospital [in Swindon]. Eighteen hours and 32 doctors later, I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome." At one point, Mr Heard was put in an induced coma for two days, to give his lungs a rest and received five rounds of plasma infusions. Although his symptoms are now improving, Mr Heard said it had been a "long and slow process" to get where he is today. He still struggles to feed himself and has had to relearn how to walk. "Every day is a learning day to overcome the problems with this debilitating illness," he said. "All of my nerves are functioning. They've all got their coating back. "I'm now standing for at least a minute (at a time), but I'd never have thought this time last year that I'd be learning to walk for the second time in my life." He hopes to be able to walk out of the hospital with a frame by the end of August and to be able to return to work, but not "for at least a year" to allow his body to "build fatigue resilience". He does not know if he will ever fully recover – and advises those who feel unusually ill to seek medical help. The decision not to rest while feeling ill, he said, may have contributed to his need to spend months in hospital. "Don't be a martyr. Have some rest, because not all of us are very good at doing that". It is a very rare and serious condition which affects the nerves. It mainly affects the feet, hands and limbs, causing problems such as numbness, weakness and pain. The symptoms include numbness and pins and needles starting in the feet and hands before spreading to the arms and legs. You can also have muscle weakness, pain and problems with balance and co-ordination. In severe cases, you may have difficulty moving, walking, breathing and swallowing. About one in 20 cases is fatal. It can be triggered by an infection, in extremely rare cases a vaccination, surgery, a medical procedure or an injury Some people will not make a full recovery and are left with long-term problems such as being unable to walk without assistance, weakness in the arms, legs or face, numbness, pain or a tingling or burning sensation, balance and co-ordination problems and extreme tiredness. Source: NHS UK Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. 'Fragile' girl's life transformed by 'loving' hospice Disabled woman denied wheelchair over 'criteria' Great Western Hospital
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Patient says he was left to 'waste away' on wrong hospital ward
An engineer says he was "left to waste away" after he developed a rare medical condition that has left him in hospital for more than 200 Heard, 56, said he developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune condition, after he carried on working despite a bad case of flu. He now uses a wheelchair and is currently unable to Heard, from Sutton Benger in Wiltshire, claimed he was placed on the wrong ward, which hindered his recovery, but hopes to raise awareness of the illness which affects 1,300 people in the UK every Goddard, chief nurse at Great Western Hospital, said she was "sorry that Mr Heard's experience did not reflect the standards we strive to uphold". Mr Heard, who was previously healthy, said that his recovery had not been aided by being placed on a respiratory ward, when he should have been on a neurology ward, which prevented him from receiving necessary said: "There is another side to my battle with my recovery that is to do with the NHS and how I've been treated. I was put on an incorrect ward and left to waste away."Ms Goddard said that when their neurology beds are full, "patients may need to be cared for in other parts of the hospital".She said: "Following Mr Heard's feedback, we have taken steps to review and improve our approach to patients who need enhanced care and specialist support for complex conditions such as Guillain-Barre syndrome."We are also placing a renewed focus on preventing deconditioning and ensuring patients remain active and independent during their hospital stay through additional training, regular monitoring and meaningful activities for patients."Mr Heard now hopes to be able to leave Chippenham Community Hospital by the end of said his illness began with a persistent cold and cough last summer. "I then got the flu, but I carried on working," he said."By the middle of November, my left leg was starting to lose power, and my left hand side of my body had started to give problems, so I thought I was having a stroke."I admitted myself into Great Western Hospital [in Swindon]. Eighteen hours and 32 doctors later, I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome." At one point, Mr Heard was put in an induced coma for two days, to give his lungs a rest and received five rounds of plasma his symptoms are now improving, Mr Heard said it had been a "long and slow process" to get where he is still struggles to feed himself and has had to relearn how to walk."Every day is a learning day to overcome the problems with this debilitating illness," he said."All of my nerves are functioning. They've all got their coating back."I'm now standing for at least a minute (at a time), but I'd never have thought this time last year that I'd be learning to walk for the second time in my life."He hopes to be able to walk out of the hospital with a frame by the end of August and to be able to return to work, but not "for at least a year" to allow his body to "build fatigue resilience".He does not know if he will ever fully recover – and advises those who feel unusually ill to seek medical decision not to rest while feeling ill, he said, may have contributed to his need to spend months in hospital."Don't be a martyr. Have some rest, because not all of us are very good at doing that". What is Guillain-Barre syndrome? It is a very rare and serious condition which affects the mainly affects the feet, hands and limbs, causing problems such as numbness, weakness and symptoms include numbness and pins and needles starting in the feet and hands before spreading to the arms and legs. You can also have muscle weakness, pain and problems with balance and co-ordination. In severe cases, you may have difficulty moving, walking, breathing and one in 20 cases is can be triggered by an infection, in extremely rare cases a vaccination, surgery, a medical procedure or an injurySome people will not make a full recovery and are left with long-term problems such as being unable to walk without assistance, weakness in the arms, legs or face, numbness, pain or a tingling or burning sensation, balance and co-ordination problems and extreme NHS UK
Medscape
08-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
MHRA Advises on Rare GBS Risk After RSV Vaccination
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a Drug Safety Update concerning Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following the administration of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines. Healthcare professionals are advised to inform recipients of Abrysvo (Pfizer) and Arexvy (GSK) about potential symptoms of GBS. Should these occur, recipients should seek immediate medical care, as early intervention can reduce severity and improve outcomes. GBS is an acute demyelinating disease that affects the peripheral nervous system. It has previously been reported in response to several vaccines, including those for influenza, swine flu, SARS-CoV-2, meningococcal disease, poliovirus, and rabies. Symptoms usually start in the limbs and include tingling, numbness, or pins and needles in the feet and hands, followed by muscle weakness and difficulty moving joints. Severe Cases May Include Paralysis In more serious cases, patients may experience shooting nerve pain, often in the legs or back, breathing difficulties, drooping facial muscles, problems with swallowing or speech, and double vision. Some may develop paralysis in the legs, arms, or face. Treatment typically requires hospitalisation for several weeks or months. Therapies include immunotherapy and symptomatic management. GBS can be fatal in rare instances. Study Suggests Increased Risk Post-Vaccination The MHRA alert follows a US study evaluating GBS risk in adults aged over 65 after receiving RSV vaccines. The study, led by the US Food and Drug Administration and data analysis company Acumen in California, was conducted as a self-controlled case series analysis between 3 May 2023 — when the vaccines were first approved in the US — and 28 January 2024. The study involved approximately 3.23 million Medicare recipients who received either Abrysvo or Arexvy. The researchers compared the incidence of GBS during risk intervals of 1-42 days after vaccination — when most reactions occur — to the incidence in later control periods (43-90 days). Ninety-five GBS cases were reported in the early period. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) ranged from 2.02 to 2.46, translating to 6.5-9 additional cases per 1 million vaccine doses. However, statistical significance was only reached in the Arexvy group. In the UK, Abrysvo is the RSV vaccine offered through the NHS to adults aged 75-79 and to pregnant women. As of 2 June 2025, the MHRA had received 21 Yellow Card reports of suspected GBS in older adults following Abrysvo vaccination. This was out of more than 1.9 million doses of Abrysvo administered up to 26 May on the NHS scheme. There have been no Yellow Card reports of GBS following Arexvy in the UK, probably due to limited use. Arexvy is not used in the NHS but may be accessed privately by adults over 60, or those aged 50-59 at higher risk. Arexvy is not recommended for use in pregnancy. However, the MHRA said that there was currently no evidence that Abrysvo increased GBS risk in pregnant women. The MHRA reported that, among over a quarter of a million doses of Abrysvo given to pregnant women up to 26 May 2025, there had been no Yellow Card reports of suspected GBS. Risk Remains Rare, Says MHRA The MHRA emphasised that the risk of GBS from RSV vaccines remains rare. Early, unpublished data from post-marketing surveillance by the UK Health Security Agency and Public Health Scotland estimated a combined excess of 15-25 GBS cases per million doses of Abrysvo given to those aged 75-79. The Commission on Human Medicines has reviewed the data and advised that the benefits of RSV vaccination in older adults outweigh the risk of developing GBS. Healthcare professionals and the public are urged to continue reporting suspected adverse reactions associated with Abrysvo and Arexvy through the Yellow Card scheme. Dr Sheena Meredith is an established medical writer, editor, and consultant in healthcare communications, with extensive experience writing for medical professionals and the general public. She is qualified in medicine and in law and medical ethics.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hansa Biopharma to Host Science Deep Dive Virtual Investor Event on Guillain-Barré Syndrome on June 16, 2025
LUND, Sweden, June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hansa Biopharma AB, "Hansa" (Nasdaq Stockholm: HNSA) today announced that it will host a virtual investor event on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) on Monday, June 16, 2025 at 14:00 CEST / 8:00 AM EDT. Pre-registration is required and can be found at this link. Presentations by Dr. David R. Cornblath, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Dr. Simon Rinaldi MRCP (Neuro), PhD, University of Oxford will discuss the unmet need and current treatment landscape for GBS, an acute, rare, paralyzing inflammatory disease of the peripheral nervous system, as well as the role of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) in GBS and recent advancements in science and research. Company management including Hitto Kaufmann, Chief R&D Officer, and Elisabeth Sonesson, VP, Global Franchise Lead Autoimmunity, will highlight current activities and anticipated milestones for the Company in the autoimmune space. A live Q&A will follow the presentations. This is the first in a series of Science Deep Dive virtual events specifically aimed for the investor community and focusing on Hansa's disease areas - Autoimmune, Gene Therapy, and Kidney Transplantation. About David R. Cornblath, MD Dr. David Cornblath received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University, completed an internship at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, and neurology residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He served as Clinical Fellow of the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the Peripheral Nerve Morphology Laboratory and then joined the Faculty at Johns Hopkins, rising to rank of Professor and serving as Director of the Neurology EMG Laboratory. Currently retired, Dr. Cornblath continues to consult, serving on safety monitoring boards and clinical trial development programs. He also holds the title of Professor Emeritus of Neurology at Johns Hopkins. About Simon Rinaldi, MRCP(Neuro), PhD Dr. Simon Rinaldi is a clinician scientist and clinical neurologist who leads the University of Oxford's programme of inflammatory neuropathy research. This research spans from in vitro disease modelling using cell-based assays to biomarker discovery, clinical phenotyping, and clinical trials. His lab has developed models of immune mediated axonal injury and demyelination using human induced pluripotent stem cell derived myelinating co-cultures. These experimental systems are now being used to learn more about the mechanisms of immune-mediated peripheral nerve injury, and are a valuable tool in the search for novel auto-antibodies and for the discovery and pre-clinical evaluation of fluid biomarkers. The lab also runs the only UK based diagnostic testing service for nodal and paranodal antibodies, which associate with distinct forms of autoimmune nodopathy, and the underlying B-cell biology of these and related peripheral nerve disorders is a more recent area of study. His research programme also includes a clinical / observational study of chronic inflammatory neuropathy (Bio-SPiN). The group additionally contributes to and benefits from close links with the comprehensive and high-quality clinical-serological database of 2000 patients encapsulated in the International GBS Outcome Study (IGOS) and has been involved in therapeutic trials in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). Conference call details To register and to submit questions in advance, please use the following link: To participate in the telephone conference, please use the dial-in details provided below: Participant Dial In (Toll Free): 1-833-821-3542 Participant International Dial In: 1-412-652-1248 The webcast will be available on: Contacts for more information: Evan Ballantyne, Chief Financial OfficerIR@ Stephanie Kenney, VP Global Corporate Affairsmedia@ Notes to editors About Hansa Biopharma Hansa Biopharma AB is a pioneering commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company on a mission to develop and commercialize innovative, lifesaving and life-altering treatments for patients with rare immunological conditions. The company has a rich and expanding research and development program based on its proprietary IgG-cleaving enzyme technology platform, to address serious unmet medical needs in autoimmune diseases, gene therapy and transplantation. The company's portfolio includes imlifidase, a first-in-class immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody-cleaving enzyme therapy, which has been shown to enable kidney transplantation in highly sensitized patients and HNSA-5487, a next-generation IgG cleaving molecule with redosing potential. Hansa Biopharma is based in Lund, Sweden, and has operations in Europe and the U.S. The company is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm under the ticker HNSA. Find out more at and follow us on LinkedIn. ©2025 Hansa Biopharma AB. Hansa Biopharma, the beacon logo, IDEFIRIX, and IDEFIRIX flower logo are trademarks of Hansa Biopharma AB, Lund, Sweden. All rights reserved. This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: 250609 - HNSA Autoimmune Deep Dive 16 June 2025 View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
BBC News
08-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Paralysed councillor defeated by one vote plans to stand again
A councillor who lost his seat at this year's local elections while recovering from a rare condition that left him paralysed has said he plans to have his name on the ballot in four years' Pardy had represented Sundorne and Old Heath for Labour on Shropshire Council since 2013, but lost to Reform's Mandy Duncan by a single vote in May. The election came after he collapsed at home in December with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare condition that affects the nervous system, leaving him unable to fully campaign. Mr Pardy said, while disappointed with the result, he was determined to stand again at the next election. "I really was disappointed, knowing I'd lost by a vote," he told the BBC. "It was a miserable night. "It was so close - I'd have preferred to lose by 201 votes, but I look forward to the next election." 'Extraordinarily frightening' It is not known what causes Guillain-Barré syndrome and it affects patients' senses and movement, as well as their breathing and heartbeat, according to the NHS."When I first contracted it, I can't remember what happened," Mr Pardy said. "I was put into an induced coma, I wasn't aware of what was happening."But he said it was "extraordinarily frightening" for his wife, a nurse of more than 40 years, who feared he could die."I was in a pretty bad way," he said, and was in hospital until March when he was moved to a rehabilitation centre in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. "I realised the election was coming up, so I turned to my Labour colleagues who worked so hard," Mr Pardy said. Meanwhile, he did what he could to campaign using social he lost his unitary council seat, Mr Pardy won his seat on Shrewsbury Town Council - again by a narrow margin of just two votes. Since then, he has almost fully recovered use of his upper body and is starting to walk with a said the support he had received had been "tremendous"."I got support from people right across the parties. "People are substituting for me on my committees and I'm waiting on a laptop so I can join remotely."The 66-year-old said getting back to his work in the community, as well as his family, is driving his recovery."As a town councillor, there's plenty to be getting on with," he said."It's going to be difficult, but if I can, I will."
