To estimate the burden of disease of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Brazil in 2014, one year before the Zika virus epidemic, and in 2015 and 2016 during the epidemic.
The burden of disease of GBS was estimated using the summary measure of population health: Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY), that combines both mortality (Years of Life Lost YLLs) and morbidity (Years Lived with Disability) components. The study population was composed of GBS hospitalized cases and deaths from the information systems of the Brazilian Unified Health System.
The GBS incidence rate in 2014, 2015 and 2016 was 0.74, 0.96, 1.02/100,000 respectively, and the mortality rate in the same period was 0.08, 0.009 and 0.11/100,000 habitants. The DALYs calculated using the point estimate of GBS disability weight and its values of the confidence interval (0.198 and 0.414) were 5,725.90 (5,711.79 – 5,742.89) in 2014, 6,054.61 (6,035.57 – 6,077.54) in 2015 and 7,588.49 ( 7,570.20 – 7,610.51) in 2016. The DALYs were high among the male population and in age groups between 20 and 50 years.
The increase in DALYs in the years 2015 and 2016 compared to 2014 probably resulted from the introduction of ZIKV in Brazil, reinforcing the importance of investments in the prevention of ZIKV infection and in the care of GBS patients.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Burden of Disease of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Brazil before and during the Zika virus epidemic 2014 – 2016.
