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. 2023 Oct 6;14:1273256. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1273256

Table 1.

Demographics and characteristics of SPSD patients with GI symptoms.

Characteristic Total population GI motility test absent GI motility test present p value
Age (mean ± SD) 49.88 (12.9) 50.41 (13.5) 49.28 (12.2) 0.7
Sex [male, n (%)] 13 (16.9) 6 (14.6) 7 (19.4) 0.8
Race [n (%)]

  • Black

 16 (20.8) 11 (26.8) 5 (13.9) 0.23

  • White

 57 (74.0) 29 (70.7) 3 (8.3)

  • Other

 4 (5.2) 1 (2.4) 28 (77.8)
SPSD duration, yrs. (mean ± SD) 8.44 (6.7) 8.88 (7.0) 7.94 (6.4) 0.55
SPSD phenotype (n, %)

  • Classic

 36 (46.8) 20 (48.8) 16 (44.4) 0.13

  • SPS plus

 22 (28.6) 14 (34.1) 7 (19.4)

  • Cerebellar

 2 (2.6) 2 (4.9) 0 (0.0)

  • Possible SPS

 11 (14.3) 3 (7.3) 8 (22.2)

  • PERM

 6 (7.8) 2 (4.9) 4 (11.1)
GI symptoms (n, %)

  • Dysphagia

 34 (44.2) 14 (34.1) 20 (55.6) 0.1

  • Constipation

 30 (39.0) 13 (31.7) 17 (47.2) 0.25

  • Nausea/vomiting

 14 (18.2) 8 (19.5) 6(16.7) 0.98
Abdominal stiffness/spasms (n, %) 36 (46.8) 18 (43.9) 18 (50.0) 0.83
Torso stiffness/spasms (n, %) 42 (54.5) 23 (56.1) 19 (52.8) 0.95
Positive GAD65 antibodies (n, %) 63 (82.9) 35 (85.4) 28 (80.0) 0.754
MRS (mean ± SD) 2.71 (0.82) 2.73 (0.74) 2.69 (0.92) 0.845
Comorbid diabetes (n, %) 18 (23.4) 14 (34.1) 4 (11.1) 0.035
Comorbid thyroid (n, %) 21 (27.3) 13 (31.7) 8 (22.2) 0.499
GI involvement (n, %)

  • Upper GI†

 16 (44.4)

  • Lower GI‡

 6 (16.7)

  • Diffuse*

 4 (11.1)

Cohort Characteristics of the total population and further categorized as those with and without gastrointestinal (GI) motility testing. p values were obtained via univariate chi-square analysis utilizing R studio. There were no significant differences in those who did or did not complete motility testing, other than a history of diabetes mellitus being present in a higher number of individuals who did not undergo motility testing. †Upper GI dysmotility: presence of delayed esophageal, gastric, small bowel transit and/or esophageal spasm. ‡Lower GI dysmotility: presence of delayed colonic transit and/or anal and/or rectal spasm. *Diffuse GI dysmotility; presence of at least one upper GI abnormality and at least one lower GI abnormality. SD: standard deviation, SPSD: Stiff person syndrome spectrum disorder, GAD: Glutamic acid decarboxylase, MRS: modified Rankin scale, PERM: progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus.Bold values indicate statistical significance based on p value < 0.05.