Tardive dystonia improved with discontinuation of trazodone in an elderly schizophrenia patient: a case report

Yoshinori Kadota; Hikaru Hori; Michiko Takayama; Chikako Okabe; Naotoshi Ohara

doi:10.1186/s12991-020-00273-8

Tardive dystonia improved with discontinuation of trazodone in an elderly schizophrenia patient: a case report

Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2020 Apr 1:19:23. doi: 10.1186/s12991-020-00273-8. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Yoshinori Kadota¹, Hikaru Hori^{1

2}, Michiko Takayama¹, Chikako Okabe¹, Naotoshi Ohara¹

Affiliations

¹ Minamigaoka Hospital, 3-13-1 Imamachi, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 8030862 Japan.
² 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 8078555 Japan.

Abstract

Background: Tardive dystonia associated with antidepressant use is rare and often under-recognized. We had an experience with trazodone, which is used for delirium and insomnia prescribed in general hospital, inducing tardive dystonia.

Case presentation: A 61-year-old Japanese woman had been treated for schizophrenia. She was moved to general hospital because of consciousness disturbance. She was prescribed trazodone (25 mg/day) for delirium and insomnia. After she was discharged, she returned to the psychiatric hospital with tardive dystonia. Her dystonia symptoms improved with 3 days of discontinuing trazodone.

Conclusion: In the present case, long-term use of trazodone induced tardive dystonia. Discontinuing trazodone rapidly improved tardive dystonia.

Keywords: Delirium; Insomnia; Schizophrenia; Tardive dystonia; Trazodone.

Publication types

Case Reports