| GBS patients | p Value | ||
| Recurrent (during first episode) (n = 32) | Non-recurrent (n = 476) | ||
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 34.2 (23.9) | 46.9 (21.5) | 0.001 |
| Age <30 years | 44% | 22% | 0.006 |
| Male | 66% | 60% | 0.505 |
| Cranial nerve dysfunction | 38% | 42% (472) | 0.654 |
| Miller Fisher syndrome | 13% | 4% | 0.049 |
| Sensory–motor symptoms | 72% | 62% (474) | 0.275 |
| Artificial respiration needed | 16% | 18% (472) | 0.691 |
| Mildly affected* | 59% | 37% (450) | 0.011 |
| Known with other autoimmune disease | 9% | 2% | 0.051 |
| Preceding vaccination | 6% | 3% (475) | 0.219 |
| Preceding gastrointestinal infection | 13% | 17% (475) | 0.541 |
| Preceding respiratory infection | 28% | 37% (475) | 0.299 |
The number in parentheses is the number of patients on whom information was available (if different from the total).
*GBS disability scale ⩽3.