Serum iron and ferritin in acute neuroleptic akathisia

Acute akathisia is a common and disturbing side effect of classic antipsych otic medication. Some evidence suggests a role for iron deficiency in chron ic and tardive akathisia. In acute akathisia, however, the data are contrad ictory. Serum iron and ferritin levels of 33 inpatients with acute akathisi a during classic neuroleptic medication were compared with those of 23 pati ents on classic neuroleptics without this side effect. Akathisia was rated by means of the Hillside Akathisia Scale. The groups were balanced for age (mean 38.5 +/- 14.5), medication (butyrophenone- and phenothiazine-derived neuroleptics) and diagnosis (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, psych otic affective disorder). Patients with acute akathisia had significantly l ower serum ferritin levels than the patients in the control group. However, the ferritin (56.94 +/- 39.54 ng/ml) and iron (88.52 +/- 40.0 mg/dl) level s in these patients were within the normal range (ferritin 30-300 ng/dl, ir on 80-180 mg/dl). No correlations between serum iron or ferritin and akathi sia ratings could be found. Although some reduction in serum ferritin was f ound in patients with acute akathisia compared to patients without akathisi a, the difference was small and the ferritin levels were within the range o f the normal population. These findings suggest a minor role for iron defic iency in acute akathisia. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.