Rapidly worsening bulbar symptoms in a patient with spinobulbar muscular atrophy

Abstract

X-linked spinobulbar muscular atrophy (Kennedy’s disease) affects muscles and motor neurons, manifesting as weakness and wasting of bulbar, facial, and proximal limb muscles due to loss of anterior horn cells in the brain and spinal cord. We present the case of a patient with X-linked spinobulbar muscular atrophy with rapidly worsening bulbar symptoms caused by laryngopharyngeal irritation associated with a viral upper respiratory tract infection, seasonal allergies and laryngopharyngeal reflux, who dramatically improved with multimodality therapy.

Keywords

• X-linked spinobulbar muscular atrophy, laryngopharyngeal reflux, allergy, laryngospasm, globus