Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow A corrigendum has been published
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (32)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Manji, H.
Right arrow Articles by Marsden, C. D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Manji, H.
Right arrow Articles by Marsden, C. D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Brain, Vol 121, Issue 2 243-252, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press

ARTICLES

Status dystonicus: the syndrome and its management

H Manji, RS Howard, DH Miller, NP Hirsch, L Carr, K Bahtia, N Quinn and CD Marsden
Royal Free Hospital, London, UK.

Patients with dystonic syndromes sometimes develop increasingly frequent and relentless episodes of devastating generalized dystonia which we call status dystonicus. Twelve cases of status dystonicus, of various underlying aetiologies, are presented. Possible precipitating factors were identified in only five cases: intercurrent infection (one); discontinuation of lithium (one) and tetrabenazine (one); and the introduction of clonazepam (two). Nine patients required mechanical ventilation and three others were sedated with intravenous chlormethiazole. Drug therapy used included benzhexol, tetrabenazine, pimozide, baclofen, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, carbamazepine and acetozolamide. Two patients underwent thalamotomies, one of whom improved. Two patients died, five returned to their pre-status dystonicus condition, two eventually made a full recovery and three were worse. Patients with status dystonicus should be managed on an intensive care unit as they may develop bulbar and respiratory complications which may require ventilation. Metabolic problems encountered can include rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure. Drug therapy with benzhexol, tetrabenazine and pimozide or haloperidol may be beneficial in some cases.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Arch. Dis. Child.Home page
J. R Parr, A. L Green, C. Joint, M. Andrew, R. P Gregory, R. B Scott, M. A McShane, and T. Z Aziz
Deep brain stimulation in childhood: an effective treatment for early onset idiopathic generalised dystonia
Arch. Dis. Child., August 1, 2007; 92(8): 708 - 711.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 NeurologyHome page
R. Guerrini, F. Moro, M. Kato, A. J. Barkovich, T. Shiihara, M. A. McShane, J. Hurst, M. Loi, J. Tohyama, V. Norci, et al.
Expansion of the first PolyA tract of ARX causes infantile spasms and status dystonicus
Neurology, July 31, 2007; 69(5): 427 - 433.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 NeurologyHome page
S. A. Schneider, A. Aggarwal, M. Bhatt, E. Dupont, S. Tisch, P. Limousin, P. Lee, N. Quinn, and K. P. Bhatia
Severe tongue protrusion dystonia: Clinical syndromes and possible treatment.
Neurology, September 26, 2006; 67(6): 940 - 943.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 NeurologyHome page
N. L. Khan, N. W. Wood, and K. P. Bhatia
Autosomal recessive, DYT2-like primary torsion dystonia: A new family
Neurology, December 23, 2003; 61(12): 1801 - 1803.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurol. Neurosurg. PsychiatryHome page
R. S Howard, D. M Kullmann, and N. P Hirsch
Admission to neurological intensive care: who, when, and why?
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, September 1, 2003; 74(90003): iii2 - 9.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.