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Forging ahead

Journal of Hospital Medicine. 2017 March;12(3):188-192 |  DOI 10.12788/jhm.2706

© 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

KEY TEACHING POINTS

  • A complaint of general weakness requires distinction between asthenia (ie, general loss of strength or energy) and true neuromuscular weakness from dysfunction of the brain, spinal cord, nerve, neuromuscular junction, and/or muscle.
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome may present in a variety of atypical fashions not limited to ascending, distally predominant weakness.
  • Acute postgastric reduction surgery neuropathy should be considered in patients presenting with weakness, vomiting, or hyporeflexia after bariatric surgery.
  • Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy may rapidly progress to respiratory failure, and warrants serial neurologic examinations, monitoring of pulmonary function, and an expedited diagnostic evaluation.

Disclosure

Nothing to report.