A chlorpromazine-induced inhibitor of blood coagulation

A rare case of schizophrenia coexistence with antiphospholipid syndrome, β-thalassemia, and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance

A patient with schizophrenia who was treated with chlorpromazine developed lupus anticoagulant (LA) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). On protein electrophoresis, a monoclonal immunoglobulin A peak was seen in this patient, defining a condition of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Additionally, β-thalassemia was diagnosed with the CD41-42 genotype. This condition is extremely rare, particularly in patients with schizophrenia and APS. We present a case of a patient with schizophrenia and secondary APS who had a positive LA, a significantly prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, endogenous coagulation factor deficiency and inhibitor, no bleeding, and an unexpected finding of β-thalassemia and monoclonal IgA. Following that, a literature review on the disorders was presented.

Anti-purkinje cell and natural autoantibodies in a group of psychiatric patients. Evidences for a correlation with the psychopathological status

Phenomena of autoimmunity are frequent among psychiatric patients, but we don't know yet if they should be considered primary and linked to the pathophisiology of the disorder, or aspecific and associated to a general immune system activation. Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration (PCD) represents a well known model of specific autoimmunity. In order to better understand the abovementioned issues, we used this condition to compare a set of immune dysfunctions found in a group of psychiatric patients. For this reason we tested sera from 48 psychiatric patients (24 schizophrenics, 17 bipolars and 7 obsessive-compulsive), 22 PCD patients and 52 healthy controls for the presence of anti-Purkinje autoantibodies and of some natural autoantibodies (ANAs, AMAs, APCAs, ASMAs). Psychopatological status of the psychiatric patients was assessed with BPRS, SANS, SAPS, HAM-D, CGI-S. In the psychiatric group anti-Purkinje autoantibodies were identified in 11/48 (22,9%) patients, while they were present in 22/22 (100%) PCD patients and in 0/52 (0%) healthy controls. Among all anti-Purkinje autoantibody positive patients (in the PCD and psychiatric samples), only those belonging to the psychiatric sample, but not those with PCD, were frequently found positive also for natural autoantibodies, that are considered good markers of aspecific immune activation. In these patients, both anti-Purkinje and natural autoantibodies were found associated with acute/positive psychopathological symptoms. These results seem to point out that some phenomena of auto-immunity described in psychiatric patients could be aspecific, unrelated to the pathophysiology of the concomitant mental disorders and could be more frequent during phases of acute/positive symptoms.

Treatment of schizophrenia: a clinical and preclinical evaluation of neuroleptic drugs

Forty years after the first clinical report on the effectiveness of chlorpromazine in psychiatric patients, neuroleptic drugs are still the most widely used drugs in the treatment of schizophrenia. Indeed, there are no other drugs which have proven to be as effective in the treatment of this severe psychiatric disorder. Yet, there are still many unresolved problems relating to neuroleptic drugs. The present review gives a comprehensive overview of our knowledge (and our lack of knowledge) with respect to the clinical and preclinical effects of neuroleptic drugs and tries to integrate this knowledge in order to identify the neuronal mechanisms underlying the therapeutic and side effects of neuroleptic drugs.

Neuroleptic-associated autoantibodies. A prevalence study

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA), antiphospholipid antibodies (APA), rheumatoid factor (RF), and immunoglobulin (Ig) M levels were determined in 184 male chronic psychiatric patients on long-term therapy with neuroleptics, and in 35 age-matched normal male controls. The prevalence of one or more of these autoantibodies was 70% in the neuroleptic-treated patients and 9% in the normal controls. Polyclonal IgM elevation was frequently seen among patients treated with phenothiazines. There was a significant correlation between the presence of ANA, APA, and RF; ANA and APA were more frequently associated with CPZ therapy, but the prevalence of RF was high in all treatment groups. These findings suggest that antibodies against the Fc fragment of IgG are the most common autoantibody associated with neuroleptics. Alternatively, the presence of RF could be a common finding in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders.

Factors related to the presence of autoantibodies in patients with chronic mental disorders

Serum samples from 307 patients with various chronic mental disorders were examined for the presence of several autoantibodies. Autoantibodies detected included antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in 122/307 (39.7%), rheumatoid factor (RF) in 23/307 (7.5%), anticardiolipin antibodies (anti-CL) in 23/304 (7.6%, IgM in 12 patients, IgG in 13 patients). Isolated cases with IgG anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro(SSA), and anti-Ro(SSA)/anti-La(SSB) were also identified. The analysis of data revealed that the aging process in patients studied contributed significantly to the incidence of ANA (p less than 0.0001) and RF (p less than 0.01). In addition, the chronic administration of chlorpromazine (CPZ) was associated with the presence of ANA (p less than 0.03) as well as with the presence of IgM and/or IgG anti-CL antibodies (p less than 0.003). Finally, the diagnosis of schizophrenia correlated with the presence of ANA (p less than 0.001). This study represents the autoantibody profile of patients with chronic mental disorders and emphasizes the multifactorial origin of autoantibody response in psychiatric patients.

Risk factors for thrombosis in lupus patients

Lupus anticoagulant, concentrations of anticardiolipin antibodies, antithrombin III, plasminogen, (free) protein S, protein C, prothrombin, platelet counts, and bleeding times were determined in 74 lupus patients (58 with systemic lupus erythematosus; 16 with lupus-like disease) to establish the presence of risk factors for thrombosis in these patients. Of the variables evaluated, lupus anticoagulant had the strongest association with a history of thrombosis. Both positive anticardiolipin antibody concentrations and the presence of (mild) thrombocytopenia were significantly associated with a history of thrombosis and the presence of lupus anticoagulant. Reduced concentrations of antithrombin III, plasminogen, (free) protein S, and protein C were found in some patients but were not associated with either thrombosis or lupus anticoagulant. Mean concentrations of total protein S were significantly lower in patients with thrombosis than in those without and in patients with lupus anticoagulant than in those without. The antigenic concentration of prothrombin was reduced in 3/74 (4%) lupus patients. These three patients had lupus anticoagulant but no history of thrombosis, which suggests that a low prothrombin concentration protects patients with lupus anticoagulant from the development of thrombosis. A prolonged bleeding time was associated with the presence of lupus anticoagulant but not with a history of thrombosis. Analysis by stepwise logistic regression did not disclose additional risk factors for thrombosis in lupus patients with lupus anticoagulant. Increased antithrombin III concentrations and decreased free protein S concentrations are often found in lupus patients, unrelated to lupus anticoagulant or thrombosis.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and recurrent pregnancy loss

Antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) have recently been linked to a variety of clinical findings including arterial and venous thrombosis, recurrent spontaneous abortions and fetal loss, as well as thrombocytopenia. These observations have stimulated multidisciplinary interest in the laboratory identification of APA and the clinical management of patients with positive tests for APA.

Clinical manifestations and laboratory findings in patients with lupus anticoagulants

Clinical and laboratory features were evaluated in 48 patients with lupus anticoagulants and the efficiency of three different assays in the detection of lupus anticoagulants was compared. The diagnosis of lupus anticoagulants was based on a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin test not corrected in a mixture of 1:1 with normal plasma and lack of specific inhibitors against coagulation factors. Platelet neutralization procedure was positive for lupus anticoagulants in 98% of the patients, tissue thromboplastin inhibition ratio in 79%, and kaolin clotting time index in 77%. At least one of the assays was positive in 100% of the cases. The largest minority of the patients (31%) suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus. The others had a variety of non-immunological disorders. In the 13 patients who had been operated on, only 1 with renal failure developed hemorrhagic complications after renal biopsy due to thrombocytopathy. The incidence of recurrent spontaneous miscarriage, immune thrombocytopenia and positive direct antiglobulin test, anti-nuclear and anti-DNA antibodies and VDRL was significantly higher in patients with lupus anticoagulants and systemic lupus erythematosus compared to patients with lupus anticoagulants but without systemic lupus erythematosus.

Phenothiazine-induced systemic lupus erythematosus with superior vena cava syndrome: case report and review of the literature

Phenothiazine-induced lupus with circulating anticoagulant (CAC) has been reported infrequently, and is rarely associated with significant symptoms. We describe a patient who we suspect had perphenazine-induced lupus erythematosus with CAC. She had recurrent episodes of venous thrombosis and ultimately developed superior vena cava syndrome. The relationships among phenothiazine-induced lupus, CAC, and thrombosis are discussed.

Coagulation screen is more specific than the anticardiolipin antibody ELISA in defining a thrombotic subset of lupus patients

In 111 lupus patients we compared the potential of the IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and four different lupus anticoagulant (LAC) assays (partial thromboplastin time (PTT) of a 1:1 mixture of patient and control plasma with phospholipids from animal (PTT-st) or human brain (PTT-HB); PTT with dilutions of human brain phospholipids (PL dilution); and kaolin clotting time of mixtures of patient and control plasma (KCT] to identify patients with thrombosis (26/111), fetal loss (19/46), and/or thrombocytopenia (11/106). The highest specificity for thrombosis (87%) was found with PTT-HB and PL dilution (sensitivity 65%, detection rate 61%); for fetal loss (93%) with PL dilution (sensitivity 47%; detection rate 82%), and for thrombocytopenia (83%) with KCT (sensitivity 82%; detection rate 36%). Compared with LAC assays, the sensitivity of ACA-ELISA was high (greater than or equal to 77%), but specificity (less than or equal to 51%) and detection rate (less than or equal to 52%) were low. So, a panel of three LAC assays (PTT-HB, PL dilution, and KCT) can identify lupus patients apparently at risk for thrombosis, fetal loss, and/or thrombocytopenia, whereas the ACA-ELISA is insufficiently specific.

Ischemic stroke in a girl with lupus anticoagulant

A 16-year-old girl developed right middle cerebral artery infarction and deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremities in association with circulating lupus-like anticoagulant. Currently, she is functionally independent with no further vascular insults and is being treated with sodium warfarin. This patient illustrates that cerebral ischemia can occur in association with lupus anticoagulant in the pediatric population. This entity should be considered and appropriate screening tests performed in young patients with unexplained ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Inhibitors of coagulation in children

Acquired inhibitors of coagulation factor interaction in nonhemophilic children are usually nonspecific, transient, and unassociated with clinical bleeding. They occur with some frequency and are the most common cause for a prolonged APTT found by routine testing. In children, some association with viral infections and treatment with penicillin has been noted, but their interrelationship with the development of antibodies remains unclear. The exact nature of these antibodies, usually directed against coagulant factor phospholipid, is not clear and multiple antibodies both specific as well as nonspecific may occur. No therapy is generally required. Rarely has the acute development of antibodies directed against specific coagulation factors occurred. The laboratory evaluation of the type of inhibitor is, therefore, most important as specific inhibitors may be associated with life-threatening bleeding situations. Their therapy should probably include attempts at eradication of the inhibitor by immunosuppressive agents or other newer modalities. Unfortunately, little information is available regarding the nature and outcome of specific inhibitors in children. Acquired inhibitors in hemophilic patients occur in about 6 to 10% of patients. Newer approaches to their therapy include activated PCC which have generally improved the outlook for such patients. Treatment regimens involve a knowledge of inhibitor response and the concomitant use of plasmapheresis, high-dose or continuous i.v. Factor VIII, and porcine Factor VIII, followed by activated PCC. The role of immunosuppressive agents and other newer modalities appears promising, however, prospective controlled studies are necessary to evaluate their role in the overall management of such patients.

Immunogenetic markers in chlorpromazine-induced tardive dyskinesia

The presence and severity of tardive dyskinesia were determined in 66 patients with chronic psychiatric disorders treated with chlorpromazine. The patients were classified according to the presence of antinuclear antibodies, the lupus anticoagulant, and the HLA antigen Bw44. The severity of orofacial dyskinesia was estimated using the Rockland Research Institute Scale. Patients with autoantibodies and the Bw44 antigen had higher tardive dyskinesia scores than those with AAB without the Bw44 antigen and also patients without autoantibodies regardless of their HLA phenotype (P less than 0.01). These studies suggest that the presence of autoantibodies in association with the HLA Bw44 antigen is related to, and can be a predictor of, neurological complications of long-term chlorpromazine therapy.

Lupus anticoagulant: an analysis of the clinical and laboratory features of 219 cases

To define clinical and laboratory characteristics of the lupus anticoagulant (LA), we reviewed our experience (219 subjects). Subjects were divided into group A, those with the LA and the diagnosis of lupus erythematosus, group B, those with the LA but nonlupus diagnoses, and group C, those with drug-related lupus syndromes. The typical laboratory findings consisted of a prolonged and inhibited plasma clot time (an average of 1.9 times control time) which was proportionately more prolonged than the partial thromboplastin time or activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) (average 1.3 times control). Ninety-eight percent had a prolonged plasma clot time and 94% had a prolonged partial thromboplastin time. The prothrombin and thrombin times were prolonged in 33 and 25% of subjects, respectively. Washed platelets shortened the APTT in the 22 subjects so tested. Monoclonal protein peaks were seen in 7% of patients. Seventeen episodes of bleeding were observed, but in all but one instance there was another hemostatic defect present. In the 18 patients who underwent major operations, there were no hemorrhagic complications. Fifty-eight episodes of thrombosis were observed with the same incidence in group A (25%) as in group B (26%). Bleeding is rare with the LA but thrombosis is common even without SLE and lupuslike syndromes. The plasma clot time in platelet-rich plasma is more prolonged, and in our experience, is more sensitive in detecting the lupus anticoagulant than is the partial thromboplastin time.

Chlorpromazine-induced lupus anticoagulant and associated immunologic abnormalities

Chronic administration of chlorpromazine is associated with the development of a lupus-like circulating anticoagulant and a variety of immunological abnormalities. The prevalence of these findings was studied in 123 psychiatric patients. The anticoagulant was present in 11 of 30 patients receiving chlorpromazine (CPZ), in none of 17 patients who had been off phenothiazine therapy for over a year and in none of 53 controls. It was also seen in 5 of 13 patients who had been switched from CPZ to another phenothiazine even after several years being off CPZ. The anticoagulant was characterized by prolongation of the partial thromboplastin time, thromboplastin dilution test, and Russell's viper venom time. Washed frozen platelets partially corrected the abnormality induced by the anticoagulant. In all but one case the anticoagulant was associated with positive antinuclear antibody test and/or increased serum IgM. Six of 16 patients also had decreased complement levels, and two had a positive direct Coombs' test. None of these patients manifested bleeding, hemolysis, splenomegaly, or other clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Acquired hemophilia, meningioma, and diphenylhydantoin therapy

A patient is reported in whom a meningioma of the lateral one-third of the sphenoid ridge was completely removed and long-term prophylaxis for seizures with diphenylhydantoin was prescribed. One and a half years later, a powerful inhibitor developed that specifically neutralized Factor VIII, the antihemophilic factor, and caused an acquired state of hemophilia. The 4-month hemorrhagic disorder was characterized initially by painless hematuria and later by intracerebral and extradural hematomas at the operative site of the previously excised meningioma. Despite the transfusion of massive quantities of concentrates of clotting factors, and the surgical evacuation of the recurrent hematomas on two occasions, the localized bleeding could not be staunched and the patient died. The types of inhibitors that cause acquired hemophilia and their modes of treatment are examined. Although it is possible that the Factor VIII inhibitor in this patient was induced by the meningioma, most previously reported tumors associated with acquired hemophilia have had an immunological basis. The most probable explanation for the acquired hemophilia in this patient was an inhibitor to Factor VIII from an autoantibody induced by the long-term use of diphenylhydantoin.

IgM inhibitors of the contact activation phase of coagulation in chlorpromazine-treated patients

In this report we have described three patients with chronic schizophrenia on long-term chlorpromazine therapy who developed asymptomatic IgM inhibitors of the intrinsic phase of blood coagulation. The anticoagulant resulted in decreased measurements of all of the plasma clotting factors in the intrinsic pathway (factors VIII, IX, XI, XII, Fletcher factor and Fitzgerald factor). Using crude coagulation reagents, the serum of these patients interfered with the clot promoting activity of contact product. To determine the relationship between drug therapy and these IgM inhibitors, we have studied nine additional schizophrenic patients on long-term chlorpromazine therapy. All nine chlorpromazine-treated patients had significantly increased levels of serum IgM and asymptomatic inhibitors of coagulation. We conclude that long-term high-dose chlorpromazine treatment of schizophrenic patients results in an increased concentration of IgM which has inhibitory activity in the contact phase of blood coagulation.