In a recent study, researchers have predicted the occurrence of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially deadly side effect of antipsychotic therapy, in people between the ages of 5 and 24 years. This research data has been published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Incidence of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome During Antipsychotic Treatment in Children and Youth: A National Cohort Study

Go to source

).

What is Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome and What Causes It?

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a life-threatening, neurological disorder. Most often, it’s an adverse reaction to neuroleptic or antipsychotic drugs. Typical symptoms include high fever, muscular rigidity, sweating, and unstable blood pressure.
The disorder is typically noticed during the initial two weeks of drug treatment, but it can also manifest at any point during therapy.

Factors Influencing Occurrence of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

The national Medicaid data spanning from 2004 to 2013 was used to categorize patients commencing antipsychotic therapy and to determine the occurrence of NMS during antipsychotic therapy. This assessment was done by Dr. Wayne Ray, along with coauthors from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. The researchers identified five factors that individually estimated the increased occurrence of NMS: being between the ages of 18 and 24; having schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders; having neurodevelopmental disorders; taking antipsychotic doses exceeding 200 mg chlorpromazine-equivalents; and using first-generation antipsychotics.

“Patients with 4 or 5 of these factors had more than 100 times the incidence of those with none,” reported the investigators.

“These data provide a basis for early identification of children and youth at elevated risk for NMS for whom monitoring for signs of this life-threatening syndrome could be increased, potentially leading to earlier detection and improved outcomes.”

Paul E. Croarkin, DO, MS, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, states: “Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome is rare, serious, and previously understudied in children and adolescents. This important paper by Dr. Ray and colleagues has illuminated risk factors with immediate utility for clinical practice and provided a foundation for future research.”

The research indicates that identifying and monitoring individuals at an early stage is essential for improving outcomes in those affected.

Reference:

1. Incidence of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome During Antipsychotic Treatment in Children and Youth: A National Cohort Study – (https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/cap.2024.0047)

Source-Eurekalert