Extremely rare coincidence of non-radiographic axial spondyloarthropathy HLA-B27 positive and Stiff Person Syndrome – rheumatologist point of view

Abstract

Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder characterized by progressive stiffness and rigidity of truncal muscles accompanied with co-contraction of agonist–antagonist muscles. Our 51-year-old female patient was presented for the first time to physiatrists in 2006 and diagnosed with axial-spondyloarthropathy (SpA) HLA-B27 positive. SPS was diagnosed 7 years after initial symptoms. SPS should be taken into consideration in HLA-B27 positive patients if stiffness of paravertebral and abdominal muscles progresses during SpA therapy.

Keywords:

• Anti-GAD
• HLA-B27
• Spondyloarthropathy
• Stiff Person Syndrome
• Truncal rigidity

Conflict of interest

None.