title: Malignant Catatonia Warrants Early Psychiatric-Critical Care Collaborative Management: Two Cases and Literature Review.
abstract: Malignant catatonia (MC) is a life-threatening manifestation which can occur in the setting of an underlying neuropsychiatric syndrome or general medical illness and shares clinical and pathophysiological features and medical comorbidities with the Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). The subsequent diagnosis and definitive therapy of MC are typically delayed, which increases morbidity and mortality. We present two cases of MC and review recent literature of MC and NMS, illustrating factors which delay diagnosis and management. When clinical features suggest MC or NMS, we propose early critical care consultation and stabilization with collaborative psychiatric management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5987-9652
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Josh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krzeminski
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hazeghazam
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Meghana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bandlamuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA; College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA; College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Carlson