E. Spina et al., IRON STATUS IN SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS WITH ACUTE NEUROLEPTIC-INDUCED DYSTONIC REACTIONS, Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 18(5), 1994, pp. 891-898
1. Serum iron parameters were measured in a group of schizophrenic pat
ients who had developed acute neuroleptic-induced dystonia (N=17) and
in control patients with no history of extrapyramidal disorders (N=16)
. No differences were found between the two groups for iron, ferritin
or transferrin levels. 2. Iron status was estimated in 44 schizophreni
c patients starting treatment with high-potency neuroleptics before an
d after 3 weeks of medication. In the 6 patients developing dystonia s
erum iron levels as well as other iron parameters did not differ from
the values observed in the remaining 38 patients either on admission o
r after neuroleptic treatment. In each group the haematological profil
e was not modified by neuroleptic medication. 3. These results do not
support an association between low serum iron and the occurrence of ne
uroleptic-induced dystonic reactions.