When Ockham razor's principle is not applicable: Differential diagnosis of a rare case of child and adolescent psychosis

Abstract

Introduction

The diagnosis of schizophrenia in children is rare. Less than 4% of schizophrenic patients begin before age 15 being much less stable than in adults as an entity in time. It is estimated that only 50% of diagnoses of schizophrenia in patients under 15 years are maintained over time. The most frequent differential diagnoses are bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociative disorder.

Objective and methods

A case of a patient of 18 years old admitted in our service with diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia due to the presence of delusional symptoms at age of 14 and due his evolution with impaired overall performance is presented. Upon arrival he presented delusions, self-referentiality and a strange phenotype with a pitched voice. Clinical history included presence of sexual abuse prior to debut of psychotic symptoms and rare medical comorbidity (diagnosed at age 15 of hypertension and paroxysmal sinus tachycardia). A kariotipe was done in a previous admission with normal results.

Results

During hospitalization symptomatic remission was achieved in just two days by decreasing antipsychotic potency of the treatment, he also presented elevated metanephrines and also elevated plasma aldosterone and renin in blood tests.

Conclusions

We discuss the differential diagnosis including schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder with dissociative symptoms and endocrine pathology (pheochromocytoma and hyperaldosteronism).

L. Galindo is a Rio Hortega fellowship (ISC III; CM14/00111).

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.