Respiratory irregularity and tardive dyskinesia. A prevalence study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary movements.
• Respiratory involvement in TD is not well-documented, despite its potential severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of respiratory irregularities suggestive of tardive dyskinesia in chronically hospitalized psychiatric patients.
• To explore the association between respiratory irregularities, other forms of TD, and organic mental disorders.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 351 chronically hospitalized adult psychiatric patients was conducted.
• Clinical assessment for irregular respiration and various forms of dyskinesia was performed.

Main Results:

• Eight subjects (2.3%) presented with respiratory irregularities consistent with tardive dyskinesia.
• All patients with respiratory issues also had facio-bucco-lingual dyskinesia; four had additional limb or body region involvement.
• Respiratory irregularities were significantly more common in patients with organic mental disorders (11.1%) versus those without (1.3%).

Conclusions:

• Respiratory tardive dyskinesia is an underrecognized complication of psychiatric pharmacotherapy.
• The condition is associated with other TD manifestations and organic mental disorders.
• Early diagnosis and management are crucial, as symptoms can be severe and lead to complications like aspiration pneumonia.