Perospirone * may improve food refusal.(Case Report)

Patient: 5 patients (ages 59-80 years; 4 female, 1 male) Medications: Perospirone

Comment: Perospirone was administered to 5 patients (4 are presented below) with psychiatric disorders who refused food. They were given no other concomitant antipsychotic agent; minimal doses of hypnotic drugs were given to the patients only when they complained of insomnia.

Patient 1: Female, 80 y/o, diagnosed with delusional disorder, exhibited food refusal and hostile behavior. She developed akathisia during haloperidol therapy. During perospirone monotherapy, her refusal of food and her hostility decreased. No extrapyramidal-symptom-related complaints or akathisia were reported. Maintenance monotherapy with perospirone (16 mg/twice daily) resulted in improvements in her condition.

Patient 2: Male, 68 y/o, presented with hypochondriacal delusions of colon cancer, depressive mood, reduced energy and severe food refusal. Computerized tomography scan and intestinal fiberoscopy results were normal. Initial laboratory tests showed he was dehydrated. He received risperidone oral solution 2 mg/day for 10 days without improvement in symptoms. Risperidone was then tapered and perospirone was started and titrated up to 24 mg/day. Complete improvement was seen in food refusal at this dose and he appeared cheerful with no depressive symptoms.

Patient 3: Female, 68 y/o, presented with delusions of persecution, aggressiveness, auditory hallucinations and food refusal. She had consumed alcohol heavily for 40 years and had memory impairment. She gradually stopped eating 3 weeks before admission. ...