Heat intolerance in patients with chronic schizophrenia maintained with antipsychotic drugs.
OBJECTIVE
Schizophrenia may be associated with hyperthermic syndromes such as febrile catatonia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and heatstroke. The authors hypothesized that an exercise-heat tolerance test would disclose abnormal thermoregulation in schizophrenic patients.


METHODS
Seven male schizophrenic outpatients in remission maintained on depot antipsychotic treatment and eight healthy comparison subjects completed a heat tolerance test that consisted of two 50-minute bouts of walking a motor-driven treadmill at 40xC (relative humidity=40%).


RESULTS
A significantly higher rise in rectal and skin temperatures was observed in the patient group. No differences in heart rate, blood pressure, or perspiration were detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Schizophrenic patients maintained on antipsychotic drugs exhibit impaired heat tolerance. Possible explanations are a reduced ability to convey heat from the body's core to the periphery with or without excessive heat production. The hyperthermic response to the heat tolerance test may reflect a dysfunction associated with schizophrenia, a neuroleptic-induced side effect, or both.
Geha Psychiatric Hospital, Petah Tiqva, Israel. hermesh@post.tau.ac.il
H
H
Hermesh
R
R
Shiloh
Y
Y
Epstein
H
H
Manaim
A
A
Weizman
H
H
Munitz
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005080:Exercise Test; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents