Pseudoagoraphobia, a Diagnostic Clue in Stiff-Limb Syndrome.

anti‐GAD antibodies functional movement disorders gait spasticity stiff man syndrome

Journal

Movement disorders clinical practice
ISSN: 2330-1619
Titre abrégé: Mov Disord Clin Pract
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101630279

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Apr 2020
Historique:
received: 11 11 2019
revised: 29 01 2020
accepted: 06 02 2020
entrez: 8 4 2020
pubmed: 8 4 2020
medline: 8 4 2020
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Stiff-limb syndrome is part of stiff person spectrum, presenting with fluctuating gait disorders attributed to leg stiffness, spasms, and posturing. It could also manifest with anxiety and specific phobias such as pseudoagoraphobia. We aimed to describe the importance of specific gait phobia as a diagnostic clue to anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase stiff-limb syndrome. We reported on 2 cases of stiff-limb syndrome sharing a similar diagnostic path and phenomenology. Both were featured by pseudoagoraphobia, which has documented to typically cover organic conditions, and a remarkable diagnostic delay attributed to misdiagnoses. Presence of pseudoagoraphobia should not point to the diagnosis of a functional disorder-although a negative instrumental workup is documented. Both cases are emblematic of the high misdiagnosis rate affecting stiff person syndrome patients. A proper diagnostic process, including the identification of a pseudoagoraphobia, should help in reaching a diagnosis and providing an early and effective treatment.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Stiff-limb syndrome is part of stiff person spectrum, presenting with fluctuating gait disorders attributed to leg stiffness, spasms, and posturing. It could also manifest with anxiety and specific phobias such as pseudoagoraphobia. We aimed to describe the importance of specific gait phobia as a diagnostic clue to anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase stiff-limb syndrome.
CASES METHODS
We reported on 2 cases of stiff-limb syndrome sharing a similar diagnostic path and phenomenology. Both were featured by pseudoagoraphobia, which has documented to typically cover organic conditions, and a remarkable diagnostic delay attributed to misdiagnoses. Presence of pseudoagoraphobia should not point to the diagnosis of a functional disorder-although a negative instrumental workup is documented.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Both cases are emblematic of the high misdiagnosis rate affecting stiff person syndrome patients. A proper diagnostic process, including the identification of a pseudoagoraphobia, should help in reaching a diagnosis and providing an early and effective treatment.

Identifiants

pubmed: 32258231
doi: 10.1002/mdc3.12911
pii: MDC312911
pmc: PMC7111565
doi:

Types de publication

Case Reports

Langues

eng

Pagination

313-317

Informations de copyright

© 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Références

Ann Neurol. 1998 Mar;43(3):400-3
pubmed: 9506561
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1998 Nov;65(5):633-40
pubmed: 9810930
Curr Opin Neurol. 2016 Aug;29(4):496-506
pubmed: 27262149
Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2016 Sep;30:78-80
pubmed: 27236207
BMC Neurol. 2019 Jan 3;19(1):1
pubmed: 30606131
Mov Disord. 2012 Apr;27(4):548-52
pubmed: 22488862
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2003 Apr;74(4):462-5
pubmed: 12640064
PLoS One. 2011 Feb 08;6(2):e16775
pubmed: 21346811
Nat Rev Neurol. 2018 Mar;14(3):183-189
pubmed: 29377011
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 May;44(5):387-91
pubmed: 7264685
Int J Rehabil Res. 2018 Dec;41(4):377-379
pubmed: 30045062

Auteurs

Massimo Marano (M)

Neurology, Neurophysiology and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma Rome Italy.

Francesco Motolese (F)

Neurology, Neurophysiology and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma Rome Italy.

Jacopo Lanzone (J)

Neurology, Neurophysiology and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma Rome Italy.

Alessandro Di Santo (A)

Neurology, Neurophysiology and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma Rome Italy.

Mariagrazia Rossi (M)

Neurology, Neurophysiology and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma Rome Italy.

Maria Gabriela Bevacqua (MG)

Psychiatry, "Psyche" Neurosciences clinic Rome Italy.

Federico Ranieri (F)

Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences University of Verona Verona Italy.

Fioravante Capone (F)

Neurology, Neurophysiology and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma Rome Italy.

Emilia Mabel Gatto (EM)

Department of Neurology, Sanatorio de la Trinidad Mitre Buenos Aires University Buenos Aires Argentina.

Vincenzo Di Lazzaro (V)

Neurology, Neurophysiology and Neurobiology Unit, Department of Medicine Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma Rome Italy.

Classifications MeSH