Is the syndrome Guillain Barre acquired by Filipinos?

Question

i really want to know if this syndrome was acquired by Filipinos; it is part of my thesis..T_T

Answer 1

In the Philippines, the Extrapolated Prevalence is 862 of a poulation of 86,241,6972. (May 28, 2003)

In comparison to other countries:
http://www.cureresearch.com/g/guillain_barre_syndrome/stats-country_printer.htm

Answer 2

It can be aquired by anyone. It is a syndrom of progressive paralysis following a viral infrection. Often it progresses to respiratory paralysis and death, though some recover successfully. There is no racial barrier. Viruses don't differentiate between races.

Good luck on your thesis.

Answer 3

Well, this is probably a question for your doctor, but chances are acquiring this disease was a very rare side effect. I can tell you though, meningitis can kill you, but millions of people survive with out it so its up to you.

Answer 4

I don't know if it's acquired by Filipinos, but my aunt had it over 20 years ago, and she's of white and Native American heritage.

Answer 5

never heard of this disease. I'm Filipino..you would think if it's that prevalent among my race that I would have at least have heard of it. But my guess is no..but I'm really not sure.

Answer 6

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory disorder in which your body's immune system attacks the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves) and, rarely, parts of the brain itself. Severe weakness and numbness in your legs and arms characterize GBS. Loss of feeling and movement (paralysis) may occur in your legs, arms, upper body and face.

GBS affects an estimated one to three in every 100,000 persons annually in the United States. It can strike any race at any age, but its incidence increases with age. GBS may occur within days or weeks after a viral infection such as influenza (flu) or diarrhea. It may be triggered by pregnancy or a medical procedure, such as a vaccination or minor surgery, or have no evident reason for developing. Because the cause of GBS is unknown, there's no way to prevent the disease from occurring.

In its most severe form, GBS is a medical emergency and may require hospitalization. Severe GBS may result in total paralysis, potentially dangerous fluctuations in heart rate and blood pressure, and inability to breathe without respiratory assistance. The muscles you use for eye movement, speaking, chewing and swallowing also may become weak or paralyzed. People with severe GBS often need long-term rehabilitation to regain normal independence, and as many as 15 percent experience lasting physical impairment. In some cases, GBS can be fatal.

Most people recover from even the most severe cases of GBS. Available treatments, if started soon after signs and symptoms appear, may lessen the severity of GBS and reduce recovery time.
>It only means that Filipnos are not the only one who acquired this syndrome...It can strike any race...

Answer 7

deceasis dont steak to one race.

Answer 8

This is a pretty specialized question about epidemiology and patterns of distribution of disease, and I don't know if searching Guillain-Barre (GB) on regular search engines is going to get you the information you need. Is there a reason that you might or might not expect GB rates to be different in Filipinos versus the rest of the population? If you have found data/research papers suggesting this, contacting the study author(s) would be a good place to start. I've listed some other ideas below:

An information page on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/detail_gbs.htm)
gives an overview of the condition and states, among other things, that GB is rare and "can affect anybody." This doesn't really suggest that any one ethnic group or nationality should be more at risk than others in the general population. At the same time, you might want to locate the actual prevalence rates on the topic for your thesis. Try putting an inquiry in via the NIH website and see if they can point you to one of their resources. I think that it could be important to determine whether you are focusing on Filipinos born or residing in the US or Europe (and presumably represented in disease prevalence statistics of those regions), or those born and living in the Phillipines itself, which might have different rates entirely. The representativeness of the data is important.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has several online resources with health data information, but it is difficult to search for and locate data like this (have a look at at http://www.who.int/research/en/). You might be able to e-mail them your specific inquiry through their website though. Keep in mind that a relatively rare disease like GB might not have the kind of data profile collected that more common causes of illness and mortality - a focus of WHO's prevention initiatives - would.

For data on Phillipine residents's risk of acquiring GB, it might be best to contact the republic's Department of Health via their website (http://www.gov.ph/cat_health/default.asp). There is also a national agency that collections population (including health) statistics (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/secstat/d_vital.asp), and it's possible to e-mail them through their website. Someone at either location might be able to search for the actual prevalence rates for you.

You are likely affiliated with a university if you're preparing a thesis, so why not contact a medical school librarian there, or e-mail one at a nearby university if your school does not have a medical school. Medical librarians are able to locate information incredibly quickly and have access to a ton of resources. If they can't find the answers you need, they can usually locate someone who can.

A final suggestion is contacting international organizations that focus upon the disease and raise funds for research, etc. It's in their best interest to collect statistics on worldwide rates of the disease, and they tend to know which researchers worldwide are working on what. Perhaps they can put you in touch with an epidemiologist who is researching rates of GB in various populations and you can correspond directly. The NIH information sheet that I listed above has the websites and contact information for some Guillain-Barre Foundation and neurological research organizations.

Hope some of these resources will be helpful to you.