An association between Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease and Guillain-Barre syndrome

PURPOSE: To describe an association between Vogt- Koyanagi-Harada disease a nd Guillain-Barre syndrome. METHODS: Case series, describing three patients. RESULTS: In two patients, the disorders had their onsets within 2 weeks of each other; in the third patient, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease occurred aft er 3 months, as Guillain Barre syndrome resolved. All three patients had bi lateral panuveitis typical of Vogt-Koyanagi Harada disease. Each also devel oped well accepted manifestations of Guillain-Barre syndrome, including par esis of the lower extremities tall patients), paresis of the upper extremit ies (two patients), paresis of cranial nerves (two patients), areflexia tal l patients), and abnormal electromyography findings (two patients). CONCLUSIONS: Vogt Koyanagi-Harada disease may follow or occur simultaneousl y with Guillain-Barre syndrome, The fact that these two autoimmune disorder s occur together in some patients suggest that they may share common diseas e mechanisms. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).