A neuroleptic malignantlike syndrome due to levodopa therapy withdrawal

Three cases of a syndrome resembling neuroleptic malignant syndrome are described in patients never exposed to neuroleptics. Each patient had a long history of Parkinson's disease treated with a carbidopa-levodopa combination. Two patients developed the syndrome when administration of the drug was discontinued temporarily. One developed the syndrome before the "drug holiday," and then died during the holiday because of this complication.