Summary
In a series of 1007 consecutively admitted patients, 3 cases of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) were identified (0.3%). All three patients were affected by mood disorders with congruent psychotic features, had shown catatonia just before the onset of NMS, and had been treated with low neuroleptic doses. All of them presented low serum iron levels. The relationship between NMS and catatonia and possible therapeutic decisions are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Addonizio G, Susman VL, Roth SD (1986) Symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in 82 consecutive inpatients. Am J Psychiatry 143:1587–1590
Adityanjee, Singh S, Singh G (1988) Spectrum concept of neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Br J Psychiatry 153:107–111
Adityanjee (1991) The myth of elevated serum creatine phosphokinase level and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Br J Psychiatry 158:706–707
Amore M, Montanari M (1992) La sindrome maligna da neurolettici e sindromi correlate. Minerva Psichiatr 33:259–283 (Summary in English)
Barnes TRE, Halstead SM, Little PWA (1992) Relationship between iron status and chronic akathisia in an in-patient population with chronic schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 161:791–796
Barton A, Bowie J, Ebmeier K (1990) Low plasma iron status and akathisia. J Neurol, Neurosurg Psychiatry 53:671–674
Brown KW, Glen SE, White T (1987) Low-serum iron status and akathisia. Lancet I:1234–1236
Caroff SN (1980) The neuroleptic malignant syndrome. J Clin Psychiatry 41:79–83
Castillo E, Rubin RT, Holsboer-Trachsler E (1989) Clinical differentiation between lethal catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Am J Psychiatry 146:324–328
Davis JM, Janicak PG, Sakkas P, Gilmore C, Wang Z (1991) Electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of the neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Convulsive Therapy 7(2):111–120
Delay J, Deniker P (1986) Drug-induced extrapyramidal syndromes. In: Viken PJ, Bruyn GW (eds) Handbook of Clinical Neurology. North Holland, Amsterdam, pp. 248–266
Gelenberg AJ, Bellinghausen B, Woicik JD, et al. (1988) A prospective survey of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a short term psychiatric hospital. Am J Psychiatry 145:517–518
Guze BH, Baxter LR (1985) Current concepts: neuroleptic malignant syndrome. N England J Med 313:163–166
Kaufmann CA, Wyatt RJ (1987) Neuroleptic malignant syndrome. In: Meltzer HY (ed) Psychopharmacology. The Third Generation of Progress. Raven Press, New York. pp. 1421–1430
Keck PE Jr, Pope HG Jr, McElroy SL (1987) Frequency and presentation of neuroleptic malignant syndrome: a prospective study. Am J Psychiatry 144:1344–1346
Keck PE Jr, Harrison GP, Cohen BM, et al. (1989) Risk factors for neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Arch Gen Psychiatry 46: 914–918
Kellam AMP (1987) The neuroleptic malignant syndrome, socalled. Br J Psychiatry 150:752–759
Kellam AMP (1990) The (frequently) neuroleptic (potentially) malignant syndrome. Br J Psychiatry 157:169–173
Levenson JM (1985) Neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Am J Psychiatry 142:1137–1145
Mann SC, Caroff SN, Bleier HR, et al. (1986) Lethal catatonia. AM J Psychiatry 143:1374–1381
Nemes ZC, Rotrosen J, Angrist B, et al. (1991) Biol Psychiatry 29: 411–413
Neppe VM (1984) The neuroleptic malignant syndrome. S Afr Med J 65:523–525
O'Loughlin V, Dickie AC, Ebmeier KP (1991) Serum iron transferrin in acute neuroleptic induced akathisia. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 54:363–364
Pearlman CA (1986) Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: a review of the literature. J Clin Psychopharmacol 6:257–273
Pope HG, Keck PE Jr, McElroy SLB (1986) Frequency and presentation of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a large psychiatric hospital. Am J Psychiatry 143:1227–1233
Rosenbush P, Stewart T (1989) A prospective analysis of 24 episodes of neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Am J Psychiatry 146:717–725
Rosenberg MR Green M (1989) Neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Arch Intern Hed 149:1927–1931
Rutledge JN, Hilal SK, Silver AJ, et al. (1987) Study of movement disorders and brain iron by MR. Am J Radiol 149:365–379
Sachdev P, Longeragan C (1991) Acute drug-induced akathisia is not associated with low serum iron status. Psychopharmacology 103:138–139
Scheftner WA, Shulman RB (1992) Treatment choice in neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Convulsive Therapy 8(4):267–279
Shalev A, Munitz H (1986) The neuroleptic malignant syndrome: agent and host interaction. Acta Psychiatry Scand 73:337–347
White DAC, Robins AH (1991) Catatonia: harbinger of the neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Br J Psychiatry 158:419–421
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Raja, M., Altavista, M.C., Cavallari, S. et al. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome and catatonia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Nuerosci 243, 299–303 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02195723
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02195723