Cowboys
All-Pro center Travis Frederick revealed Wednesday that he has been
diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that
causes the body's immune system to attack its nerves.
While
the condition doesn't appear to threaten Frederick's long-term career
in the NFL, it has a dramatic impact on this season. There is no
timetable for the Pro Bowl center's return, but once he does return, his
strength and conditioning are likely to be compromised.
This puts
the Cowboys in the position of anticipating Frederick's return yet not
knowing when it will take place and how effective he'll be once he's
back on the field. The club must now determine if backup Joe Looney can
step in as the full-time starter or if it needs to go outside the
organization for a replacement.
The uncertainty affects how the roster is constructed, but club
officials stress that all of that takes a back seat to the player's
health. A person who spoke to Frederick on Wednesday characterized him
as positive while realistic about what lies ahead.
"In the last 48
hours, I have received two treatments that address my condition, and I
am feeling much better from an overall strength perspective," Frederick
said in a statement. "I will continue these treatments over the next few
days. I am very optimistic about my condition and the immediate future,
as I have been told that the illness was detected at a fairly early
stage."
Frederick added that his doctors had said it wasn't
possible to say when he would be able to return to the field. According
to the Mayo Clinic, there's no known cure for Guillain-Barré (pronounced
gee-YAH buh-RAY), but several treatments can ease symptoms and reduce the duration of the illness.
"I am deeply grateful for all of the people who have expressed
concern for me throughout the past four weeks," Frederick said, "and my
teammates and the Cowboys organization have provided me and my family
with tremendous support."
Recovery takes time
Dr. Spencer Miller, a neurologist at Baylor University Medical Center
in Dallas, often treats patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome, or GBS.
Frederick isn't one of Miller's patients.
Miller said Frederick
may not have seen the worst symptoms yet. He said patients typically
don't reach peak disability until seven to 14 days after the onset of
the symptoms.
Miller said patients typically undergo a "prolonged
recovery" of "at least a couple of weeks and then months of rehab and
rest." He said a general rule of thumb is that one-third of patients
show signs of recovery within two weeks, the next third take four weeks
and the final third can take up to three months.
Miller said GBS
shouldn't threaten Frederick's career in the NFL. He said only 2 of
every 100,000 people with GBS have a recurrence.
"Once the nerves are healed, they are fully healed," he said.
"If my patient's job was football, I'd be very hesitant to let him go
back to football within a month or two. I'd be very surprised if
someone could."
Spencer said the concern isn't the contact so much as "the intensity of the workout."
"It
would slow down his recovery if he was hastened back into the game,"
Miller said. "It could slow down his recovery or hasten reoccurrence if
he overdrives his body early in the recovery period."
Miller said
that, on average, 80 percent of patients with an early diagnosis and
early treatment -- Frederick checks both boxes -- recover fully. He said
Frederick's recovery should also be helped by his youth and athletic
conditioning.
There are two treatments commonly used for acute
GBS. Both are considered equally effective, Miller said, if started
within two weeks of onset of GBS. One is plasma exchange and the other
is intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg).
IVIg is easier to administer because it's given to patients through a vein in their arm via an IV.
Miller
said a patient would receive five treatments in one form. He said the
plasma exchange route would require a treatment every other day for 10
days. He said a patient undergoing IVIg would receive one treatment for
five consecutive days.
Frederick said in his statement he had
already received two treatments "in the last 48 hours" and he would
"continue these treatments over the next few days." Considering that
timetable, Miller said, it's likely that Frederick's treatment plan is
IVIg.