In the US the highest number of cases of Guillain-Barre sundrome are associated with influenza and hepatitis B vaccines. - GreenMedInfo Summary

BACKGROUND: There are isolated reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after receiving vaccination. OBJECTIVE: To determine the rates and characteristics of GBS after administration of vaccination in United States METHODS: We used data for 1990 to 2005 from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which is a cooperative program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration. RESULTS: There were 1000 cases (mean age, 47 years) of GBS reported after vaccination in the United States between 1990 and 2005. The onset of GBS was within 6 weeks in 774 cases,>6 weeks in 101, and unknown in 125. Death and disability after the event occurred in 32 (3.2%) and 167 (16.7%) subjects, respectively. The highest number (n = 632) of GBS cases was observed in subjects receiving influenza vaccine followed by hepatitis B vaccine (n = 94). Other vaccines or combinations of vaccines were associated with 274 cases of GBS. The incidence of GBS after influenza vaccination was marginally higher in subjects<65 years compared with those>or=65 years (P = 0.09); for hepatitis vaccine, the incidence was significantly higher (P<0.0001) in the<65 group. Death was more frequent in subjects>or=65 years compared with those<65 years (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that vaccines other than influenza vaccine can be associated with GBS. Vaccination-related GBS results in death or disability in one fifth of affected individuals, which is comparable to the reported rates in the general GBS population.