scholarly journals Clozapine-Induced Agranulocytosis Revealing a Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis: A Case Report

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  

Context: The aim of this report is to illustrate a case of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) that was revealed in the context of treatment-resistant first-episode psychosis. The incidence of this life-threatening condition is increasing in adults. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are important for an optimal patient outcome. Case Report: The patient was a 20-year old female who had been admitted to the inpatient unit of a Psychiatric Hospital for disorganized behavior with psychotic features. Clozapine had been introduced as the clinical picture did not evolve despite several trials of antipsychotics. As severe agranulocytosis developed, the patient was transferred to a general hospital. A diagnosis of HLH was suggested. Patient responded well to treatment, and remission of psychotic symptoms was observed. Conclusion: This case demonstrates the occurrence of HLH in a complicated clinical scenario involving psychotic experiences and the use of clozapine. Further studies are necessary to understand the potential environmental and pathological factors related to HLH

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. s258-s258
Author(s):  
S. Marques ◽  
F. Godinho ◽  
A.L. Melo ◽  
D. Barrocas

IntroductionFirst-Episode Psychosis (FEP) is a variable condition, characterized by the emergence of new psychotic features for a period of at least 1 week. The majority of existing studies about FEP only address schizophrenia spectrum psychosis (SSP), which may limit the capacity to fully characterize this entity.Objectives/AimsReport the clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients with FEP in real-world setting, and compare the differences among SSP and affective FEP.MethodsRetrospective analysis of clinical files of patients admitted to our hospital unit with FEP diagnosis from January/2012 to April/2015. Clinician-rated dimensions of psychosis symptom severity scales (DSM-5) were applied.ResultsAnnual incidence of FEP was 11,3/100,000. From a total of 755 patients, 57 (7,5%) corresponded to FEP; 38 (66,7%) were diagnosed with SSP, 11 (19,3%) affective psychosis, 3 (5,2%) toxic psychosis and 5 (8,8%) organic psychosis. Most were female (61,4%), with a mean age of 49 years. The majority were unemployed (66,7%), lived with family (57,9%), and presented with moderate-severe delusions (80,1%), but without hallucinations (57,8%), disorganized speech (59,6%) or negative symptoms (85,9%). Affective FEP patients were older (61 vs 45 years), presented with less severe psychotic symptoms (7,2 vs 8,3 points), but with higher hospital admission (26,1 vs 21,1 days).ConclusionsRegardless the growing interest concerning FEP, its conceptualization and characterization remains controversial. Our results differ from pre-existing literature data, especially concerning gender and age. By including all the possible etiologies of FEP, we aimed to obtain a more realistic characterization of this entity in a real-world setting.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


1996 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 587-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison R. Yung ◽  
Patrick D. McGorry

Objective: This study aimed to describe in detail, using a retrospective approach, the prodromal symptoms in first-episode psychosis patients. This initial prodrome, the period of disturbance preceding a first psychotic episode, is potentially important for early intervention, identification of biological markers, and understanding the process of becoming psychotic. Method: A consecutive series of 21 first-episode patients was recruited from the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, a specialised service for young people aged between 16 and 30 with first-episode psychosis. Subjects were interviewed in the recovery phase after the acute episode, about the period leading up to the psychosis, using a combination of unstructured and semi-structured techniques. Results: A wide variability of phenomena and sequence patterns was found, with symptoms being a mixture of attenuated psychotic symptoms, neurotic and mood-related symptoms, and behavioural changes. Symptoms were often disabling and some, such as suicidal thoughts, potentially life-threatening. Conclusions: The findings highlight the loss of information that has resulted from disregarding early phenomenological studies of the psychotic prodrome and instead focussing on behavioural features. The ground work has been laid for the development of better methodologies for assessing and measuring first psychotic prodromes with increased emphasis on experiential phenomena. This has the potential to lead to the early recognition and more accurate prediction of subsequent psychosis, as well as a deeper understanding of the neurobiology of the onset of psychotic disorder.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Martos ◽  
William Hall ◽  
Alicia Marhefka ◽  
Thomas W. Sedlak ◽  
Frederick C. Nucifora

Abstract Background Neutropenia, a decrease in total number of neutrophils below 1500/mm3 and particularly severe neutropenia, defined as neutrophils less than 500/mm3, is a potential adverse effect of antipsychotic medications that can lead to increased risk of infections and death. However, much of the attention on the potential adverse effect is centered exclusively on clozapine, which remains the only antipsychotic medication in the United States requiring standardized monitoring of blood work. We demonstrate here that paliperidone can also cause neutropenia and therefore clinicians should be aware of this possibility especially during initiation of treatment. Case presentation The following report presents the case of a 23-year-old African American male with first episode psychosis who developed neutropenia after initiation of paliperidone. Neutropenia resolved after discontinuation of paliperidone and initiation of an alternative antipsychotic, haloperidol. Conclusions This case report demonstrates an example of paliperidone induced neutropenia which resolved with a switch to haloperidol. We conclude that when initiating paliperidone, clinicians should be more aware of the risk of neutropenia. Moreover, neutropenia may be a more common and overlooked issue in patients on antipsychotic medications other than clozapine and increased awareness of comparative risk across antipsychotics could help direct treatment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Giuseppina Petruzzelli ◽  
Lucia Margari ◽  
Sara Ivagnes ◽  
Roberto Palumbi ◽  
Francesco Margari

2001 ◽  
Vol 178 (5) ◽  
pp. 433-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Milton ◽  
Shazad Amin ◽  
Swaran P. Singh ◽  
Glynn Harrison ◽  
Peter Jones ◽  
...  

BackgroundRecent research has reported increased risk of aggressive incidents by individuals with psychotic illness.AimsTo examine acts of aggression in first-episode psychosis.MethodSubjects with a first-episode psychosis were ascertained from a defined catchment area (Nottingham, UK) and reassessed at 3 years (n=166) using clinical interview, informants, health care and forensic records.ResultsOf the subjects, 9.6% demonstrated at least one act of serious aggression (defined as weapon use, sexual assault or victim injury) during at least one psychotic episode and 23.5% demonstrated lesser acts of aggression (defined as all other acts of aggression). For all aggressive subjects (33.1%), unemployment (OR=3.6, 95%CI 1.6–8.0), comorbid substance misuse (OR=3.1, CI 1.1–8.8) and symptoms of overactivity at service contact (OR=6.9, CI 2.7–17.8) had independent effects on risk of aggression.ConclusionsWe confirmed some previously reported demographic and clinical associations with aggression in first-episode psychosis but no relationship with specific psychotic symptoms or diagnostic groups was observed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. e240088
Author(s):  
Peter M Haddad ◽  
Majid Al Abdulla ◽  
Javed Latoo ◽  
Yousaf Iqbal

A 30-year-old man with no significant previous or family psychiatric history became severely anxious about his health after a positive COVID-19 test. Physical symptoms of COVID-19 were mild, with no evidence of hypoxia or pneumonia, throughout his illness. He was admitted to a quarantine facility. He remained highly anxious, and 1 week later, he developed paranoid delusions and auditory hallucinations (his first psychotic episode). He was treated with lorazepam 1 mg four times a day, mirtazapine 30 mg nocte and risperidone 1 mg two times a day. His psychotic symptoms lasted 1 week. He stopped psychiatric medication after 4 weeks and had remained well when reviewed 3 months later. A Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition diagnosis of brief psychotic disorder with marked stressor (brief reactive psychosis) was made. Anxiety about his health and social isolation appeared the main aetiological factors but an inflammatory component cannot be excluded. The case highlights that first episode psychosis can be associated with mild COVID-19.


2017 ◽  
Vol 182 ◽  
pp. 42-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regitze Sølling Wils ◽  
Ditte Resendal Gotfredsen ◽  
Carsten Hjorthøj ◽  
Stephen F. Austin ◽  
Nikolai Albert ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 181
Author(s):  
Maja Bogdan ◽  
Vlasta Zujić Atalić ◽  
Ivan Hećimović ◽  
Dubravka Vuković

<p><strong>Objective</strong>. The aim of this report was to describe the occurrence of a bacterial brain abscess in a healthy individual, without any predisposing condition. <strong>Case report</strong>. A thirteen-year old boy was admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery after the onset of vomiting, headache and dizziness. A neurological deficit was detected during the physical examination so urgent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was performed, revealing an intrahemispheric, right positioned solitary expansive mass with ring enhancement. Purulent material was obtained during osteoplastic craniotomy with total extirpation of the brain abscess. Aggregatibacter aphrophilus and Bacteroides uniformis were isolated. The patient’s general condition improved and the neurological deficit subsided as a result of the prompt recognition and treatment of this life threatening condition. <strong>Conclusion</strong>. To achieve a favourable clinical outcome, prompt recognition and surgical treatment of a brain abscess are of primary importance,followed by administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of this combination of microorganisms as the cause of a brain abscess.</p>


Author(s):  
Tanjona Andriamanetsiarivo Ratsiatosika ◽  
Romuald Randriamahavonjy ◽  
Baco Abdallah Abasse ◽  
Mahefarisoa Fnat ◽  
Ibrahim Housni ◽  
...  

Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition occurring in 1-2% of all pregnancies. The most common site of implantation for an ectopic pregnancy is the fallopian tube. Authors report a case of recurrent ipsilateral ectopic pregnancy following right partial salpingectomy of a 29-Year-Old woman that led to tubal rupture. The pregnancy was conceived spontaneously. Diagnostic of ruptured ectopic pregnancy was done after clinical and ultrasonography examination. The presence of a massive hemoperitoneum with a positive pregnancy urinary test that lead us to the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. She underwent a laparotomy for a suspicion of ruptured ectopic pregnancy. The ectopic pregnancy was identified in the left remnant fallopian tube. Partial salpingectomy, removal of tubal stump, and resection of the uterine cornua, was performed. The postoperative recovery was uneventful. She has stayed for five days at the Hospital. All patients, even though they have already received a definitive contraception by tubal section and ligature or unilateral or by bilateral salpingectomy for any reason, must seek an ectopic pregnancy in case of pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding and/ or amenorrhea. Authors propose to carry a total salpingectomy after a chosen surgical treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheree C. Gray ◽  
Jacobus A. Pienaar ◽  
Zelia Sofianos ◽  
Jacob Varghese ◽  
Ilonka Warnich

An amniocele, or contained uterine rupture, is a phenomenon in which there is herniation of the amniotic sac through a uterine defect, secondary to various causes. It is associated with severe morbidity and mortality. This case presents the findings in a 36-year-old female at 29 weeks gestation who was initially managed as antepartum haemorrhage secondary to placenta previa, based on ultrasound. Upon further imaging, an amniocele was diagnosed. This case report illustrates the importance of early identification of this life-threatening condition.


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