Rabbit syndrome following phenol ingestion.
An elderly Japanese woman ingested a massive quantity of phenol in a suicide attempt. She was admitted to the Emergency Department in respiratory arrest and deep coma. Duodenogastritis was evident endoscopically. With the return of spontaneous respiration and consciousness, fine, rapid rhythmic perioral movements developed together with Parkinsonian findings. The abnormal movements were aggravated by administration of a neuroleptic and ameliorated by discontinuing the drug; they disappeared completely by hospital day 15. In addition to neuroleptic drugs, phenol intoxication may cause the rabbit syndrome by inducing cholinergic dominance with relative dopamine hypofunction in the central nervous system.
Kamijo
Y
Y
Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. yk119@kitasato-u.ac.jp
Soma
K
K
Fukuda
M
M
Asari
Y
Y
Ohwada
T
T
D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019800:Phenol / Q000506:poisoning*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D019800:Phenol; D013469:Sulpiride