Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nerep.2025.100259
Mustafa Hammad , Wasef Alhroub , Alhareth Amro , Rama Rije , Mohammad Abu Saif , Mohammad Abo-Ghosh
Background
Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder characterized by progressive muscle rigidity and spasms. Stiff limb syndrome (SLS) is a rare, more localized variant of SPS.
Case presentation
This case report describes a 52-year-old woman who presented with a 2-year history of slowly progressive right leg stiffness causing severe spasms and difficulty in walking. Neurological examination showed severe spasticity of the right leg, increased deep tendon reflexes in all extremities, worse on the right leg and inability to stand due to the severity of the pain and spasticity of the right leg. Laboratory findings revealed elevated glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies, and positive pancreatic islet cells antibodies (ICA). Electromyography demonstrated continuous motor unit activity, that improved after administration of a benzodiazepine. The patient was treated with a benzodiazepine, which led to significant improvement in her symptoms.
Discussion
This article documented the first reported case of SLS in Palestine, highlighting the importance of early recognition and appropriate treatment of SLS to minimize functional impairment in patients. Detailed clinical features, laboratory findings, and the patient's response to therapy are discussed to emphasize the diagnostic challenges and management strategies for this rare neurological condition.
{"title":"Stiff limb syndrome, first case report in Palestine","authors":"Mustafa Hammad , Wasef Alhroub , Alhareth Amro , Rama Rije , Mohammad Abu Saif , Mohammad Abo-Ghosh","doi":"10.1016/j.nerep.2025.100259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nerep.2025.100259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder characterized by progressive muscle rigidity and spasms. Stiff limb syndrome (SLS) is a rare, more localized variant of SPS.</div></div><div><h3>Case presentation</h3><div>This case report describes a 52-year-old woman who presented with a 2-year history of slowly progressive right leg stiffness causing severe spasms and difficulty in walking. Neurological examination showed severe spasticity of the right leg, increased deep tendon reflexes in all extremities, worse on the right leg and inability to stand due to the severity of the pain and spasticity of the right leg. Laboratory findings revealed elevated glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies, and positive pancreatic islet cells antibodies (ICA)<em>.</em> Electromyography demonstrated continuous motor unit activity, that improved after administration of a benzodiazepine. The patient was treated with a benzodiazepine, which led to significant improvement in her symptoms.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>This article documented the first reported case of SLS in Palestine, highlighting the importance of early recognition and appropriate treatment of SLS to minimize functional impairment in patients. Detailed clinical features, laboratory findings, and the patient's response to therapy are discussed to emphasize the diagnostic challenges and management strategies for this rare neurological condition<strong>.</strong></div></div>","PeriodicalId":100950,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimmunology Reports","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100259"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.nerep.2025.100253
Maxime Braun , Abhishek Gupta , Sydney Taylor , Hamza Coban , Narinder Maheshwari , Eric Mortensen
Background
Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an autoimmune condition in which IgG4-positive plasma cells locally or systemically infiltrate tissues and cause damage through inflammation and fibrosis. While IgG4-RD has been reported in nearly every organ, it preferentially manifests as retroperitoneal fibrosis, Mikulicz disease of the salivary glands, and autoimmune pancreatitis. Involvement of the pituitary gland, causing IgG4-related hypophysitis (IgG4-RH), is an infrequently encountered manifestation of the disease.
Case presentation
In this case, a 56-year-old female who presents for positional dizziness is ultimately found to have IgG4-RH. The patient developed symptoms of polydipsia and polyuria along with diffuse headaches within a month of her initial presentation. Serum and urine studies were suggestive of diabetes insipidus (DI). She improved on desmopressin (DDAVP) therapy suggesting AVP-deficiency (AVP-D). Her prolactin was found to be elevated, and brain MRI revealed diffuse thickening of the pituitary stalk with enhancement. Additional workup for systemic disease with CT, lumbar puncture, and PET scan was unremarkable. Autoimmune workup showed elevated ANA and serum IgG4, and a course of high-dose IV steroids was initiated for suspected IgG4-RH. She experienced significant clinical improvement of dizziness, polyuria, polydipsia, which enhanced her sleep quality. Despite therapy, her brain MRI remains unchanged, prolactin levels remain elevated, and she continues DDAVP therapy for persisting DI.
Discussion
The clinical manifestations of IgG4-RH are variable, contributing to the difficulty in diagnosis of this disease. Clinical presentations of IgG4-RH include diabetes insipidus (DI), anterior hypopituitarism, or visual disturbances due to mass effect of the pituitary. Definitive diagnosis requires histopathologic evaluation of the pituitary via biopsy, manifesting a high proportion of IgG4-positive cells. Non-invasive diagnostic methods, such as the Leporati criteria, are widely accepted and were utilized for the diagnosis of this patient. These criteria included MRI findings, elevated serum IgG4, and clinical response to steroids. The current cornerstone of treatment is glucocorticoids and targeted hormone replacement with or without the use of immunomodulators. However, there is limited follow-up of patients with insufficient data on treatment response and remission.
Conclusions
IgG4-RD can have many manifestations including as it presented in this case. Improving awareness and diagnostic tools for this disease is important for swift identification and management. Treatment options are limited to glucocorticoids and targeted hormone replacement with few data on immunomodulators. This case illustrates the need for further investigation into treatment outcomes and prognosis of this disease, and development of more targ
{"title":"IgG4-related hypophysitis and AVP-deficiency: A unique presentation and literature review","authors":"Maxime Braun , Abhishek Gupta , Sydney Taylor , Hamza Coban , Narinder Maheshwari , Eric Mortensen","doi":"10.1016/j.nerep.2025.100253","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nerep.2025.100253","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an autoimmune condition in which IgG4-positive plasma cells locally or systemically infiltrate tissues and cause damage through inflammation and fibrosis. While IgG4-RD has been reported in nearly every organ, it preferentially manifests as retroperitoneal fibrosis, Mikulicz disease of the salivary glands, and autoimmune pancreatitis. Involvement of the pituitary gland, causing IgG4-related hypophysitis (IgG4-RH), is an infrequently encountered manifestation of the disease.</div></div><div><h3>Case presentation</h3><div>In this case, a 56-year-old female who presents for positional dizziness is ultimately found to have IgG4-RH. The patient developed symptoms of polydipsia and polyuria along with diffuse headaches within a month of her initial presentation. Serum and urine studies were suggestive of diabetes insipidus (DI). She improved on desmopressin (DDAVP) therapy suggesting AVP-deficiency (AVP-D). Her prolactin was found to be elevated, and brain MRI revealed diffuse thickening of the pituitary stalk with enhancement. Additional workup for systemic disease with CT, lumbar puncture, and PET scan was unremarkable. Autoimmune workup showed elevated ANA and serum IgG4, and a course of high-dose IV steroids was initiated for suspected IgG4-RH. She experienced significant clinical improvement of dizziness, polyuria, polydipsia, which enhanced her sleep quality. Despite therapy, her brain MRI remains unchanged, prolactin levels remain elevated, and she continues DDAVP therapy for persisting DI.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>The clinical manifestations of IgG4-RH are variable, contributing to the difficulty in diagnosis of this disease. Clinical presentations of IgG4-RH include diabetes insipidus (DI), anterior hypopituitarism, or visual disturbances due to mass effect of the pituitary. Definitive diagnosis requires histopathologic evaluation of the pituitary via biopsy, manifesting a high proportion of IgG4-positive cells. Non-invasive diagnostic methods, such as the Leporati criteria, are widely accepted and were utilized for the diagnosis of this patient. These criteria included MRI findings, elevated serum IgG4, and clinical response to steroids. The current cornerstone of treatment is glucocorticoids and targeted hormone replacement with or without the use of immunomodulators. However, there is limited follow-up of patients with insufficient data on treatment response and remission.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>IgG4-RD can have many manifestations including as it presented in this case. Improving awareness and diagnostic tools for this disease is important for swift identification and management. Treatment options are limited to glucocorticoids and targeted hormone replacement with few data on immunomodulators. This case illustrates the need for further investigation into treatment outcomes and prognosis of this disease, and development of more targ","PeriodicalId":100950,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimmunology Reports","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}