Guttman Sarah B, Alessi Mateus R, Carioni Enzo S, Furukawa Bruna, Ramos Valentina G, Shinmi Gabriella, Naufel Carlos, Mousfi Alexandre K, Mauer Sivan
Medicine, Universidade Positivo, Curitiba, BRA.
Surgery, Mackenzie Evangelical University Hospital, Curitiba, BRA.
Cureus. 2025 Jun 19;17(6):e86375. doi: 10.7759/cureus.86375. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Allotriophagy, also known as pica, is an eating disorder characterized by the recurrent and compulsive ingestion of non-nutritive substances, such as metals, glass, and paper. This behavior may be associated with various medical and psychiatric conditions, being frequently reported in patients with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that impairs an individual's cognitive and behavioral functioning, potentially leading to heightened impulsivity and risky behaviors, such as the ingestion of foreign objects. This case report aims to describe an episode of allotriophagy in a schizophrenic patient, discussing its clinical and therapeutic implications. The patient, a male with a prior diagnosis of schizophrenia, exhibited recurrent episodes of object ingestion, including pens, toothbrushes, cardiac monitoring electrodes, and glass fragments. During hospital admission, surgical interventions were performed to remove the foreign bodies, alongside adjustments to psychiatric treatment with antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. Despite these measures, the patient persisted in compulsive ingestion behavior, requiring multiple hospital readmissions. This case highlights the complexity of the clinical and psychiatric management of allotriophagy associated with schizophrenia, emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary therapeutic approaches. Continuous reassessment of psychiatric treatment, psychosocial support, and containment strategies are essential to minimize risks and reduce the recurrence of this behavior. It is concluded that allotriophagy in schizophrenic patients poses a significant challenge to medical practice, necessitating integrated protocols that combine clinical monitoring, effective pharmacological interventions, and ongoing social support. Furthermore, the scarcity of longitudinal studies on the relationship between allotriophagy and schizophrenia underscores the need for further research to explore therapeutic alternatives and preventive strategies.
异食癖，也称为嗜异症，是一种饮食失调症，其特征是反复强迫性地摄入非营养物质，如金属、玻璃和纸张。这种行为可能与各种医学和精神疾病有关，在精神分裂症患者中经常有报告。精神分裂症是一种慢性精神障碍，会损害个体的认知和行为功能，可能导致冲动性增加和危险行为，如摄入异物。本病例报告旨在描述一名精神分裂症患者的异食癖发作情况，并讨论其临床和治疗意义。该患者为男性，先前被诊断为精神分裂症，表现出反复的物体摄入发作，包括钢笔、牙刷、心脏监测电极和玻璃碎片。在住院期间，进行了手术干预以取出异物，同时调整了使用抗精神病药物和情绪稳定剂的精神科治疗。尽管采取了这些措施，患者仍持续存在强迫性摄入行为，需要多次再次住院。本病例突出了与精神分裂症相关的异食癖临床和精神科管理的复杂性，强调了多学科治疗方法的必要性。持续重新评估精神科治疗、社会心理支持和控制策略对于将风险降至最低并减少这种行为的复发至关重要。得出的结论是，精神分裂症患者的异食癖给医疗实践带来了重大挑战，需要结合临床监测、有效的药物干预和持续的社会支持的综合方案。此外，关于异食癖与精神分裂症之间关系的纵向研究稀缺，这凸显了进一步研究以探索治疗替代方案和预防策略的必要性。
