Stiff-Person Syndrome / Resources
By Gloria M. Rivera
This week, singer Celine Dion announced that she suffered from Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS)[síndrome de la persona rígida (SPR)].
SPS is a neurological disorder [trastorno neurológico] that presents neuromuscular symptoms [manifestaciones neuromusculares].
The most common symptoms are:
- stiff muscles [rigidez muscular] in trunk [tronco o torso], arms, and legs.
- spasm [espasmos]
Stiffness [rigidez] and spams [espasmos] are progressive, which causes disability and rigidity in the entire body.
The cause can be autoimmune [autoinmunitario], paraneoplastic [pananeoplásico], or idiopathic [idiopático].
Source: https://dtme.ranm.es
It is suspected to have an autoimmune origin since it happens at the same time as type 1 diabetes, vitiligo, thyroiditis, and pernicious anemia.
Frequently, it is incorrectly diagnosed as Parkinson Disease [enf. de Parkinson], multiple sclerosis [esclerosis múltiple], fibromyalgia [fibromialgia], enf. psicosomática [psychosomatic illness] or anxiety.
About 60% of patients with classic SPS have high levels of anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase, GAD) [antiglutamato-decarboxilasa,>GAD)].
Diagnosis is confirmed if patients has symptoms and an elevated GAD.
Treatment is symptomatic, by controlling symptoms. Patients usually are prescribed:
- oral diazepam: medication for anxiety and muscle relaxant. This is the drug of choice.
- baclofen or gabapentin: medication for muscle spasms.
- IV immunoglobulin IV: improves symptoms for up to a year.
Below, you can find links to reliable resources where you can find more information about stiff-person syndrome.
Gloria
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: this is an official site of the US government.
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/stiff-person-syndrome
Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center (GARD): this site is managed by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Federal government agency responsible for biomedical research. Here, you can find information about genetic and rare diseases, such as stiff-person syndrome.
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/5023/stiff-person-syndrome
Johns Hopkins: this site has info about different diseases and conditions, but also has testimonials, like about Stiff-Person Syndrome. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/stiff-person-syndrome/conditions-we-treat.html
Cleveland Clinic: it is not only a very old and respectable institution, but has great info about many other conditions and diseases.- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/6076-stiff-person-syndrome
Yale Medicine: this site has a very good and clear description of this disease and many others. It even has Fact sheets of other conditions like dystonia, Parkinson’s Disease, and Muscular Dystrophy. - https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/stiff-person-syndrome
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): is a 501(c)(3) organization, is a patient advocacy organization dedicated to individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them. They also have a LOT of info about rare diseases, like a rare disease database( and even a rare disease video library!
https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/stiff-person-syndrome
Merck Manual: Below is the link to the professional version. There, you can also find a link to the patient version and other languages!
https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/peripheral-nervous-system-and-motor-unit-disorders/stiff-person-syndrome
