Lay summary
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is the commonest cause of acute paralysis worldwide. Although 70% of patients fully recover, 12% require aid to walk at one year and 62% notice its effect on their or their carers’ lives six years later. About 5% of affected individuals die. NZ has the highest incidence of GBS in the developed world. Clinical experience suggests that Māori patients have a worse prognosis, but it is not clear why. The impact of environmental stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, co-morbidities e.g. metabolic syndrome and socioeconomic factors on the incidence and severity of GBS in our multi-cultural society is unknown. Currently, there is no GBS registry in NZ. We aim to create a national GBS registry which could potentially radically change our understanding of GBS pathogenesis, improve treatment, result in better patient outcomes and reduce long-term disability.