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A case of respiratory akathisia in a cancer patient: A case report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2008

Yu Sunakawa ,
Makoto Wada ,
Tomomi Nishida ,
MEI Wada ,
Kazuhiro Araki ,
Hisashi Endo ,
Fumio Nagashima ,
Wataru Ichikawa ,
Toshimichi Miya  and
Hideki Onishi
...Show all authors
Yu Sunakawa*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Makoto Wada
Affiliation:
Department of Psycho-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Tomomi Nishida
Affiliation:
Department of Psycho-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
MEI Wada
Affiliation:
Department of Psycho-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Kazuhiro Araki
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Hisashi Endo
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Fumio Nagashima
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Wataru Ichikawa
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Toshimichi Miya
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Hideki Onishi
Affiliation:
Department of Psycho-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Masaru Narabayashi
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan Department of Palliative Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
Yasutsuna Sasaki
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical-Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Yu Sunakawa, Department of Clinical-Oncology, Conprehensive Cancer Center, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1298, Japan. E-mail: yu_s@saitama-med.ac.jp
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Abstract

Objective:

It has been reported that akathisia is a neurological side effect induced by antiemetic drugs and/or antipsychotics. Akathisia can occur in any area of the body, but respiratory akathisia is an unusual type of akathisia. Cases of respiratory akathisia in cancer patients taking antiemetic drugs have not previously been reported.

Methods:

We report on a case of a cancer patient taking prochlorperazine as an antiemetic drug who experienced dyspnea accompanied by severe restlessness associated with respiration. By administration of biperiden, his restlessness in respiration and dyspnea promptly disappeared.

Results:

This finding led us to conclude that this cancer patient was experiencing respiratory akathisia.

Significance of results:

Respiratory akathisia is uncommon. It is important for cancer patients that dyspnea induced by disease progression be ruled out as a cause of the respiratory restlessness. It is necessary to consider the possibility of akathisia in patients that complain of vague anxiety, chest discomfort, or dyspnea following antipsychotic medication.

Keywords

Respiratory akathisiaCancerAntiemetic drug
Type
Case Report
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , March 2008 , pp. 79 - 81
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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