Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy--Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) 
affects spinal roots, peripheral and cranial nerves. Various clinical variants 
of GBS have been described. Isolated cranial nerve involvement without prominent 
signs of GBS is considered as rare variant of this disease. The aim of the study 
was to identify clinical characteristics of various forms of GBS particularly in 
rare variants of the disease. 57 patients with GBS were evaluated based on 
clinical and electrophysiological data. The following forms of GBS were 
revealed: 27 had acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, 
9--acute motor axonal neuropathy, 12--acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy, 
5--Fisher syndrome and 3--facial diplegia (rare clinical variant). 50 patients 
were graded 3 or more according to Hughes functional grading scale. Seasonal 
preponderance was found in spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November). 
23 patients received IVIG and 34 were treated by plasma exchange within two 
weeks after onset. Follow up study revealed: 46 recovered satisfactory, 8 were 
persistently disabled, 3 died during admission to hospital. Guillain-Barre 
syndrome showed seasonal distribution and high frequency of axonal forms. 
Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy was more effective than plasma exchange. Poor 
outcomes were likely due to severe condition (required mechanical ventilation) 
and axonal forms. It is crucial to timely identify rare variants of GBS which 
recover with appropriate treatment.