Severe breathlessness in stiff person syndrome (SPS). Looking under the bon net

We read with interest the review by El-Abassi et al. published on this journal, which clearly illustrates the complexity of the Stiff person syndrome (SPS) [1]. The authors included respiratory failure as one possible major complication of this syndrome. Specifically, they reported the occurrence of unpredictable life-threatening apneic episodes, possibly caused by spasms of diaphragm, thoracic paraspinal and intercostal muscles, which impede chest expansion. Respiratory impairment is not an isolated sign of disease and it usually appears a few months after the diagnosis.

from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/3cdo0KW