Incidence of neuroleptic malignant syndrome during antipsychotic treatment in children and youth

A new study in the peer-reviewed Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology estimated the incidence of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially fatal adverse effect of antipsychotic treatment, among individuals ages 5-24 years. Click here to read the article now.

Wayne Ray, PhD, from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and coauthors, used national Medicaid data from 2004-2013 to identify patients beginning antipsychotic treatment and calculated the incidence of NMS during antipsychotic use. The investigators identified five factors that independently predicted increased NMS incidence: age 18-24 years; schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders; neurodevelopmental disorders; antipsychotic dose >200 mg chlorpromazine-equivalents; and 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.”

About the Journal
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly in print and online. The Journal is dedicated to child and adolescent psychiatry and behavioral pediatrics, covering clinical and biological aspects of child and adolescent psychopharmacology and developmental neurobiology. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology website.

About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a global media company dedicated to creating, curating, and delivering impactful peer-reviewed research and authoritative content services to advance the fields of biotechnology and the life sciences, specialized clinical medicine, and public health and policy. For complete information, please visit the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. website.