Re: guillian barre/ degenerative joint disease

Greetings Frank Boyett,
I thought perhaps it would be a good idea to explain Guillian Barre's 
syndrome and also degenerative joint disease.  This will give you an 
opportunity to see how different these two conditions are and formulate 
your opinion as to how it relates to you. I have included many links to 
sites concerning Guillian-Barre's Syndrome and also some nice sites related 
to Degenerative Joint Disease.  
You mentioned that you are a viet nam veteran , i am going to assume that 
your concern is related to exposure to Agent Orange, there is a lot of 
information regarding Agent Orange and Vietnam Veterans. I think you will 
be able to understand the possible affects of this exposure by the multiple 
links I have included.
So, to begin with, Guillian-Barre Syndrome is an affliction of the 
peripheral nervous system.  It is what is called a de-myelinating disorder.
What happens is, that the body's immune system actually attacks the nerves, 
stripping them of their outer coating which is called myelin. Generally it 
starts at the extremeties and spreads toward the torso area.
Statistically speaking it is quite rare and affects about 1 in 100,000 
people. It usually affects those over 40 and more often strikes men rather 
than women.
The exact cause is unknown and it is not inherited or a commmunicable 
disease.
However there does seem to be a number of common antecedent events that 
trigger it, including vaccinations, respiratory infections, and herpes 
simplex infection.  The most well-known outbreak followed mass vaccinations 
against Swine Flu in the 1970s. 

The disease itself is rarely fatal. The most danger comes from the chance 
of respiratory failure, since the nerves that control breathing can be 
affected. Other dangers are related to concomitantdysphagia or difficulty 
swallowing. This can lead to aspiration of fluids and choking or even
pneumonia. If untreated, GBS often leads to total paralysis, and require 
the sufferer to be put on a
respirator. Even untreated, it will eventually recede, though it may take 
many months. The progress of the disease can often be reversed and recovery 
accelerated by plasmapharesis, in which the patient's blood is withdrawn, 
run through a centrifuge, and the white blood cells removed. 

Chances for recovery are good for most persons. Often, there will be 
lingering neuromuscular affects, such as numbness or a "dropped foot", and 
occasionally more debilitating symptoms. The younger and more healthy the 
person, the better his chances of recovery.
Check out the following links

http://www.druginfonet.com/faq/faqguil.htm
 
http://www.boston.com/dailyglo...red_in_flu_vaccinations-.shtml 

The following link is the GuillaiBarre Syndrome Foundation which features 
articles and comments from experts in the field of Guillain-Barre.

   http://www.webmast.com/gbs/  

The Harvard site has a webforum to discuss and comment on Guillain-Barres 
Syndrome. Go to:

   http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.e...GuillainBarreSyndromeMenu.html 


Degenerative Joint Disease is completely different from Guillain-Barre.DJD
occurs when the articulating surfaces of the joint (the  smooth,
lubricated bearing surface) breaks down. This type of degenerative change 
has been termed the "final common pathway" for many disorders that affect 
joints. Synonyms for DJD include osteoarthritis and osteoarthrosis. 
DJD is most commonly the  result of wear and tear, whereas Guillain-Barre
is the result of the immune system attacking the nerves. If you live long 
enough you will start to wear out the joint and degenerative changes will 
occur.
Degenerative changes typical of DJD can result from a wide variety of 
causes such as trauma to the joint, infections in the joint, congenital 
abnormalities and various inflammatory conditions.
Inflammation in joints is a common problem with rheumatologic disorders. 
Degenerative change can be recognized clinically by a grating sound, termed 
crepitus, as the joint is moved. The noise is soft and may require 
amplification for another person to detect. Often the noise can be detected 
by feeling the joint as the patient opens and closes. DJD can be seen on 
X-rays too. Usually the condyle will appear flattened and may have a ridge 
or beak on the front.
DJD may or may not be associated with pain. Joint pain associated with DJD 
is self limiting and typically lasts less than one year. Many people 45 
years and older, who have no complaints, will be found to have some 
degenerative changes evident on radiographs (X-rays). 
make a pain diagnosis because degenerative change is common and mostly 
painless. 
In most cases, the pain associated with degenerative joint disease is self 
limited and lasts less than a
year, typically nine months. The pain is treated like any painful joint 
with rest, heat, and aspirin-like drugs.Once the pain has resolved and the 
joint has remodeled, it becomes noisy because the articulating surfaces are 
rough. Other than the noise, this burned out phase of DJD presents no
further problem for the patient.
The final stage to your three part question will be addressed by listing
the links that pertain to Viet Nam Vets and the medical problems they have 
encountered. I am not going to specifically answer your concerns about 
whether or not your condition(s) could be related to your time spent in 
Viet Nam, the following established links should point you in the direction 
you need in order to understand any possible connections and who to contact
if you feel there is a connection.
The very first link is comprehensive as far as information, it is the New 
Jersey Agent Orange Commision established by the Senate and the General 
Assembly of the State of New Jersey through the Agent Orange Act of 1979 to 
"study the effects of Agent Orange Defoliant on Vietnam Era Veterans".

   http://whitetail.nji.com/~gfallon/aoc.htm  

The following website is an attempt to provide information about the 
herbicide Agent Orange used in the Vietnam War, and the results of exposure 
to this herbicide. 

   http://www.lewispublishing.com/orange.htm (AltaVista, Infoseek) 

Check out the following links and resources of claims made by Vietnam 
veterans that the herbicide Agent Orange caused health problems.

   http://www.carnell.com/environ...health/agent_orange/index.html 

The following page is dedicated to Vron Mishler - a dedicated vet who
has made a difference - and to all those suffering the effects of Agent 
Orange
  
   http://web.raex.com/~colombo/vets2/ag_org.htm 

Well Frank, I sure hope this information is of assistance to you, I want to 
take the time to thank you for sending in a question to the Mad Scientists
Network.

June Wingert RM(NRM)
Baylor College Of Medicine
Houston, Texas