A Neuroleptic Malignantlike Syndrome due to Levodopa Therapy Withdrawal
- Joseph H. Friedman, MD;
- Stanford S. Feinberg, MD;
- Robert G. Feldman, MD
- From the Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Roger Williams General Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI (Dr Friedman); and the Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine and University Hospital, and the Neurology Services, Boston Veterans Administration Hospital (Drs Feinberg and Feldman).
Abstract
Three cases of a syndrome resembling neuroleptic malignant syndrome are described in patients never exposed to neuroleptics. Each patient had a long history of Parkinson's disease treated with a carbidopa-levodopa combination. Two patients developed the syndrome when administration of the drug was discontinued temporarily. One developed the syndrome before the "drug holiday," and then died during the holiday because of this complication.
(JAMA 1985;254:2792-2795)
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to Department of Medicine, Roger Williams General Hospital, 825 Chalkstone Ave, Providence, RI 02908 (Dr Friedman).
