Guillain-Barré syndrome is a nerve disorder that results from one’s immune system mistakenly attacking nerves throughout the body. Acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) is a form of Guillain-Barré syndrome that mostly impacts children and young adults. This condition is most prevalent in the northern region of China, but it also occurs in areas where sanitation is poor (in which case, younger kids are primarily affected).
This Guillain-Barré subtype also causes more serious health problems. The effects of AMAN, which can be quite severe, usually last longer than Guillain-Barré syndrome and it often takes more time for patients to recover. Additionally, many people are left with compromised health and functionality after their illness.
The treatment of AMAN is similar to Guillain-Barré syndrome in that doctors will attempt to rectify the immune system antibodies that are attacking the nerves. In this case, removing plasma, extracting red blood cells from it, and injecting the plasma back into the patient can help eliminate harmful antibodies (which is a process known as plasma exchange). Donor antibodies, which are provided by a treatment called immunoglobulin therapy, can also benefit people with AMAN.
Patients can control any pain and discomfort associated with AMAN with pain killers. Because many people find themselves confined to bed for the recovery period, doctors may also recommend blood thinning medications to prevent the development of harmful blood clots. While these medications can also be administered to children, parents must monitor them during the drug course due to the possible bleeding risk.
Research also shows that propionate, which is a type of corticosteroid, has proven successful in the treatment of AMAN. However, research is very limited at this time, so further testing will be necessary before it is truly understood how corticosteroids can benefit patients with this condition.