TY - JOUR
T1 - Audit of care of acute inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy in Italy
AU - Beghi, E.
AU - Bono, A.
AU - Bogliun, G.
AU - Cornelio, F.
AU - Rizzuto, N.
AU - Tonali, P.
AU - Zerbi, D.
AU - Castelli, C.
AU - Ferrari, G.
AU - Marconi, M.
AU - Simone, P.
AU - Apollo, F.
AU - Amoruso, L.
AU - Angelini, C.
AU - Briani, C.
AU - Fincati, E.
AU - Affuso, R.
AU - Bottacchi, E.
AU - Lia, C.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - A multicentre prospective investigation of the main treatment regimens for the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) was started in Italy to assess the quality of the care delivered for GBS in clinical practice. Between 14 April 1988 and 31 December 1993, 250 patients (157 males and 93 females aged 3 to 86 years) were recruited in 14 centres. The commonest treatments were plasma exchange (PE) (62 per cent), steroids (ST) (37 per cent) and immunoglobulins (IG) (19 per cent). Eighteen per cent of cases received ST and PE. These data contrast in part with reports on the treatment of GBS published between 1976 and 1993, which showed PE as an effective treatment, IG as a promising but still experimental drug, and ST as a failing therapeutic approach. The variables which seemed to affect the treatment choices most were centre, year of diagnosis, and disease severity. According to this survey, the treatment of GBS in Italy tends only partly to reflect the indications and recommendations in the main scientific reports. This not only indicates a suboptimal impact of the best available knowledge on the treatment of GBS, but also documents the need for more definite guidelines and further research through clinical trials.
AB - A multicentre prospective investigation of the main treatment regimens for the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) was started in Italy to assess the quality of the care delivered for GBS in clinical practice. Between 14 April 1988 and 31 December 1993, 250 patients (157 males and 93 females aged 3 to 86 years) were recruited in 14 centres. The commonest treatments were plasma exchange (PE) (62 per cent), steroids (ST) (37 per cent) and immunoglobulins (IG) (19 per cent). Eighteen per cent of cases received ST and PE. These data contrast in part with reports on the treatment of GBS published between 1976 and 1993, which showed PE as an effective treatment, IG as a promising but still experimental drug, and ST as a failing therapeutic approach. The variables which seemed to affect the treatment choices most were centre, year of diagnosis, and disease severity. According to this survey, the treatment of GBS in Italy tends only partly to reflect the indications and recommendations in the main scientific reports. This not only indicates a suboptimal impact of the best available knowledge on the treatment of GBS, but also documents the need for more definite guidelines and further research through clinical trials.
KW - Acute polyneuritis
KW - Audit
KW - Guillain-Barre syndrome
KW - Immunoglobulins
KW - Pharmacoepidemiology
KW - Plasma exchange
KW - Steroids
KW - Therapy
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U2 - 10.1002/pds.2630040306
DO - 10.1002/pds.2630040306
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0029126236
VL - 4
SP - 137
EP - 146
JO - Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
JF - Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
SN - 1053-8569
IS - 3
ER -