Impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome

Abstract The global burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an immune-mediated neuropathy, remains poorly characterized during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed age-standardized years lived with disability (YLD) for GBS from 1990 to 2021 using GBD 2021 data and COVID-19 vaccination coverage from O...

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Main Authors: Xīn Gào, Chen Zhao, Junting Yang, Ziming Yang, Jingnan Feng, Siyan Zhan, Dongsheng Fan, Zhike Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:npj Vaccines
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01239-1
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author Xīn Gào
Chen Zhao
Junting Yang
Ziming Yang
Jingnan Feng
Siyan Zhan
Dongsheng Fan
Zhike Liu
author_facet Xīn Gào
Chen Zhao
Junting Yang
Ziming Yang
Jingnan Feng
Siyan Zhan
Dongsheng Fan
Zhike Liu
author_sort Xīn Gào
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The global burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an immune-mediated neuropathy, remains poorly characterized during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed age-standardized years lived with disability (YLD) for GBS from 1990 to 2021 using GBD 2021 data and COVID-19 vaccination coverage from Our World in Data, focusing on 2020–2021. During the pandemic, GBS YLD rates rose dramatically, with greater increases seen in low-SDI regions, females and individuals aged 15–29 years. Higher vaccination coverage was inversely associated with GBS disability burden, exhibiting a non-linear protective effect at moderate to high coverage levels. Causal mediation analysis indicated that 44.6% of this association was mediated by reductions in COVID-19 incidence, highlighting both direct and indirect neuroprotective benefits of vaccination programs. These results underscore the importance of sustaining and expanding the vaccine rollout to mitigate the secondary neurological burden associated with emerging infections.
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spelling doaj-art-ffe208b0a6374be2b78fbfdffde636d42025-08-20T03:45:44ZengNature Portfolionpj Vaccines2059-01052025-08-0110111010.1038/s41541-025-01239-1Impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of Guillain-Barré syndromeXīn Gào0Chen Zhao1Junting Yang2Ziming Yang3Jingnan Feng4Siyan Zhan5Dongsheng Fan6Zhike Liu7Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Peking University Third HospitalDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking UniversityDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking UniversityDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking UniversityDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Peking University Third HospitalDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking UniversityAbstract The global burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an immune-mediated neuropathy, remains poorly characterized during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed age-standardized years lived with disability (YLD) for GBS from 1990 to 2021 using GBD 2021 data and COVID-19 vaccination coverage from Our World in Data, focusing on 2020–2021. During the pandemic, GBS YLD rates rose dramatically, with greater increases seen in low-SDI regions, females and individuals aged 15–29 years. Higher vaccination coverage was inversely associated with GBS disability burden, exhibiting a non-linear protective effect at moderate to high coverage levels. Causal mediation analysis indicated that 44.6% of this association was mediated by reductions in COVID-19 incidence, highlighting both direct and indirect neuroprotective benefits of vaccination programs. These results underscore the importance of sustaining and expanding the vaccine rollout to mitigate the secondary neurological burden associated with emerging infections.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01239-1
spellingShingle Xīn Gào
Chen Zhao
Junting Yang
Ziming Yang
Jingnan Feng
Siyan Zhan
Dongsheng Fan
Zhike Liu
Impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome
npj Vaccines
title Impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome
title_full Impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome
title_fullStr Impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome
title_short Impact of COVID-19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome
title_sort impact of covid 19 vaccination coverage on global disability burden of guillain barre syndrome
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01239-1
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