Egad!

• Classic SPS is characterized by axial and limb muscle stiffness, episodic spasms precipitated by tactile or auditory stimuli, continuous motor unit activity in agonist and antagonist muscles on EMG, and high-titer antibody to GAD65 or amphiphysin.
• SPS typically occurs in middle age, and women are diagnosed twice as often as men.
• Symptomatic treatment of SPS targets the GABAergic system. Typically, high doses of scheduled benzodiazepines and baclofenare necessary.
• SPS occasionally occurs as a paraneoplastic neurologic syndrome, most commonly in association with breast cancer.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Jason Kern, MD for his preparation and interpretation of the pathologic image; and the Jeremiah A. Barondess Fellowship in the Clinical Transaction of the New York Academy of Medicine, in collaboration with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, for supporting Reza Manesh, MD.

Disclosures

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Appendix Video 1: This video was taken during a physical therapy session after 1 week of scheduled benzodiazepine and 2 days of intravenous immunoglobulin. It was difficult for the patient to stand without assistance due to severe stiffness. (https://youtu.be/d0gLpTgqaCs)

Appendix Video 2: This video was taken 5 months after scheduled diazepam and baclofen, and 1 week prior to thymectomy. (https://youtu.be/I00i638u00o)