Abstract

Three children with an acute self-limited syndrome characterised by painful dysaethesias, hypertension, and autonomic dysfunction, in the absence of motor and reflex abnormalities, are presented. They appear to have had a variant of acute polyneuritis involving sensory and autonomic systems. The pathophysiology of hypertension in the Guillain-Barré syndrome and of acute pandysautonomia is discussed. Excessive adrenergic function is considered as a cause of the pain component of the syndrome.