engleski

Incidence of neuroleptic malignant syndrome during a 10-year follow up at a psychiatric department

A 10-year follow-up was performed at the University Department of Psychiatry of the Vrapče Psychiatric Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia, during the period from December 31, 1983, to December 31, 1993. During that period, 9342 hospitalizations of all psychiatric diagnostic categories were recorded in total, out of that 1236 schizophrenics with 4286 hospitalizations (on the average, 3.5 hospitalizations). The aim of this prospective study was to assess the incidence of the neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), to determine the possible risk factors for NMS, and to evaluate the therapeutic results obtained. NMS was only diagnosed in schizophrenics. The diagnosis of NMS was based on generally accepted criteria. NMS was registered in 14 patients with more than 18 episodes, its incidence being 11.3 per 1000 schizophrenics. The mean age of the patients with NMS was 46.43 +- 8.02 years (range (35-61 years). The results obtained indicated that NMS did not occur in patients on monotherapy whereas antiparkinsonian drugs were frequently used in the treatment before the onset of NMS. A tendency of NMS relapse was also observed. As no case of clozapine- induced NMS was recorded, it was concluded that clozapine should be considered a drug of choice for psychotic patients with history of NMS.

neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) ; schizophrenia ; follow-up

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