Clinical predictors of response to treatment in catatonia.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims at identifying predictors of treatment response to lorazepam in catatonia.

METHODS

The clinical charts of 107 inpatients, admitted over duration of 2 years, with a primary diagnosis of catatonia were examined for response to lorazepam trial. Trial was considered as having received 3-6 mg per day of lorazepam for at least 3 days.

RESULTS

Out of these 107 patients, 99 received lorazepam and 8 received electroconvulsive therapy as the first line of management. There were 32 responders and 67 nonresponders to lorazepam. The nonresponders were characterized by rural background (85.1% vs. 62.5%, P=.01), longer duration of catatonic symptoms (108.88 vs. 25.12 days, P=.018), mutism (63.6% vs. 31.3%, P=.02) and presence of first-rank symptoms like third-person auditory discussing-type hallucinations (16.4% vs. 12.0%, P=.03) and made phenomena (7.5% vs. 0%, P=.04). The presence of waxy flexibility (12.5% vs. 4.5%, P=.03) predicted good response.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies that longer duration of illness, presence of catatonic sign of mutism and certain specific phenomena like third-person auditory hallucinations and made phenomena predicted poor response to lorazepam in catatonia. This could provide insight into the prediction and planning of the appropriate treatment strategies in this psychiatric emergency.