Unusual presentation of stiff-person syndrome in a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare, autoimmune, neurological disorder that often occurs concurrently with other autoimmune disorders, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus, pernicious anaemia, vitiligo and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. It also can manifest as a paraneoplastic syndrome. Although SPS classically presents with truncal and appendicular stiffness and lumbar hyperlordosis, it can present focally in a single limb (termed stiff-limb syndrome). Here, we describe a woman with stiff-limb syndrome who initially presented with concerns about right foot swelling and pain. She also was positive for anti-GAD65 (anti-GAD2) antibodies. With treatment, she regained the ability to drive and ambulate without a walker, and she had a noted reduction in stimulus-induced spasms.