Cambridge Church of Seventh-day Adventists, Medford MA

September 1, 2009 - Neurologists should be vigilant in tracking any new cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome after patients have received the H1N1 flu vaccine, say officials.

 The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is teaming up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to make sure doctors remain alert.

 Guillain-Barré has been linked to several vaccines, including the preparation for the 1976 swine flu.  In a statement issued by the AAN, experts said that although they do not expect the 2009 H1N1 vaccine to increase the risk for the autoimmune disease, this is a concern with any pandemic vaccine. "The active participation of neurologists is going to be critical for monitoring for any possible increase in Guillain-Barré following 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccination," AAN spokesperson Orly Avitzur, MD, said in a news release.

 The H1N1 vaccine is currently in production.  High-risk groups will be encouraged to receive the vaccine this fall.
Infants, children, young adults, pregnant women, adults 25 years and older with underlying health conditions, and healthcare workers are considered good candidates for the vaccine.

 Doctors are being asked to report adverse events using the standard CDC and US Food and Drug Administration Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
Guillain-Barré affects 1 to 4 people per 100,000 annually around the world.  It causes respiratory failure requiring ventilation in an estimated 25% of people, and between 4% and 15% die.

 The AAN guidelines on the treatment of Guillain-Barré are available online.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) are requesting neurologists to report any possible new cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following 2009 H1N1 flu vaccination using the CDC and U. S. Food and Drug Administration Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

It is not anticipated that the 2009 H1N1 vaccine will have an increased risk of GBS.  However, out of an abundance of caution, and given that GBS may be of greater concern with any pandemic vaccine because of the association of GBS with the 1976 swine flu vaccine, the CDC and AAN are asking neurologists to report any potential new cases of GBS after-vaccination as part of the CDC’s national vaccine safety monitoring campaign.

The Academy plans to reach neurologists and other health care professionals to encourage reporting cases of GBS following vaccination.  “The active participation of neurologists is going to be critical for monitoring for any possible increase in GBS following 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccination,” said Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN, who is leading the AAN effort.  Resource materials, including upcoming webinars, will be available on AAN.com.

All neurologists nationwide who encounter patients with adverse events post-vaccination should use the CDC and FDA Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to report their observations. Information on VAERS and case report forms will be available on AAN.com and at the VAERS website at http://vaers.hhs.gov.

The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is currently in production. Vaccination among high-risk groups – including infants, children, and young adults ages six months through 24 years, pregnant women, adults 25 and older with underlying health conditions, and health care workers – will begin this fall and will continue through the flu season.

Neurologists are doctors who specialize in treating neurologic disorders such as GBS, a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, causing tingling and weakness in the arms and legs.  Most GBS cases are treatable, but a few can be fatal.

For more information on GBS, visit the AAN’s website for the public at http://www.thebrainmatters.org.  For more information on the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, visit the CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.  In addition, the AAN guidelines regarding the treatment of GBS can be found at http://www.aan.com/practice/guideline/.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care through education and research.  A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as epilepsy, dystonia, migraine, Huntington’s disease, and dementia. 

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or http://www.thebrainmatters.org.