title: The role of coagulation marker fibrin D-dimer in early diagnosis of catatonia.
abstract: Catatonia is a common but under-diagnosed neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by the occurrence in a single patient of concomitant affective, motor and behavioral symptoms with a hazardous outcome (called lethal catatonia: LC). Deaths by thromboembolic disease have been previously reported in LC. A 2-year prospective study was carried out to examine D-dimer levels, an early and sensitive coagulation marker, in patients with catatonic disorders. Twenty-five acute catatonic patients and 50 psychiatric control patients - matched on age, gender, psychiatric diagnosis, general psychopathology and neuroleptic medication matched - were investigated and considered in relation to D-dimer blood levels and other biological variables (serum iron, creatine phosphokinase, leukocytosis). All catatonic patients had high D-dimer levels and mean levels were significantly higher in catatonics than in non-catatonic patients, independently of age, gender, immobility, comorbid diagnosis, general psychopathology and neuroleptic medication. No significant association was observed with other biological parameters investigated. These preliminary and exploratory results suggest that catatonia is associated with early coagulation activation.
authors.affiliation: Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de Rouen, Centre Hospitalier du Rouvray, 4 rue Paul Eluard, 76300 Sotteville-lès-Rouen, France. sadeq.haouzir@ch-lerouvray.fr
authors.forename: Sadeq
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haouzir
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lemoine
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desbordes
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Follet
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meunier
authors.forename: Zohra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Baarir
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allio
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Menard
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Briant
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jouen
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petit
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology; D002389:Catatonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D005340:Fibrinogen; D003402:Creatine Kinase