title: [Sertraline. Adverse effects due to the superposition of serotonic and malignant neuroleptic syndromes].
abstract: A 57 year-old man chronically treated with 50 mg daily of sertraline was admitted to the emergency room with mental status changes, rigidity, seizure activity and autonomic instability. He was rapidly transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. Laboratory determinations revealed increases in serum enzymes, prevailing creatine phosphokinase with a peak level by the third day of 35,000 Ui/L. Initial low serum sodium (10 mEq/L) was attributed to inadequate antidiuretic hormone secretion. Supportive care included discontinuation of sertraline and lorazepam administration. Mental status, and rigidity returned to baseline within 60 hours. Differential diagnosis between the neuroleptic malignant syndrome and the serotonin syndrome could not be determined accurately because of the striking overlap of signs and symptoms of both syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Terapia Intensiva, Policlínico Bancario, Buenos Aires, Argentina. adlopez@intramed.net.ar
authors.forename: O D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: López Gastón
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wierzbinsky
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: López Gastón
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Resnik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pardoménico
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jorge
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009459:Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020230:Serotonin Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020280:Sertraline / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline