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Guillain-Barre syndrome — SCE Acute Medicine MCQ

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EasyAcute Neurological PresentationsGuillain-Barre syndromeSCE Acute Medicine

A 69-year-old man presents with acute neurological symptoms. Relevant history includes vascular, infectious or neuromuscular risk factors. On assessment, neurological examination shows focal or global dysfunction. Investigations show ascending weakness, areflexia, facial weakness and FVC 14 mL/kg. What is the most appropriate next step in management?

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Correct answer: C — Admit for respiratory monitoring and start intravenous immunoglobulin

The key discriminator is that ascending weakness, areflexia, facial weakness and FVC 14 mL/kg, which makes Admit for respiratory monitoring and start intravenous immunoglobulin the single best answer. Call critical care for escalation is less appropriate because it does not address the dominant acute risk in the vignette; Start broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics would fit a different presentation or later stage of care. Give targeted antidote or reversal therapy and Arrange urgent CT imaging are suboptimal because they would either delay time-critical treatment or follow the wrong acute pathway. Teaching point: SCE-style acute medicine questions usually test prioritisation using physiology, timing and a guideline-defined threshold, rather than isolated factual recall.

Reference: ABN GBS guidance