ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Antipsychotic drugs can cause a wide and varied range of side -effects because of their affinity for serotonergic, dopaminergic, adrenergic and histaminergic receptors. Priapism is a rare and serious side-effect of antipsychotic drugs and is probably caused by their alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activity. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 13-year-old boy with a history of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome was presented to the urologist with a history of a penile erection for more than 24 hours, since waking the previous morning. He had used pipamperone and clonidine for a long period of time and he reported that he regularly had prolonged erections since one year. An ischaemic priapism was diagnosed. Underlying pathology as the cause of the priapism was ruled out and the diagnosis of pipamperone-induced priapism was made per exclusionem. CONCLUSION: The use of antipsychotic drugs should be discontinued in the occurrence of this side-effect. If necessary, an alternative drug with a low alpha 1-adrenergic receptor affinity should be given.
Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents/adverse effects , Butyrophenones/adverse effects , Priapism/chemically induced , Adolescent , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
AIM: Dieting can be a burden for the child and can have side effects. Insight into dieting is therefore important. A recent study showed that 13.7% (95% CI 11.5-15.9%) of the children referred to a general paediatric outpatient clinic were or had been on a diet. However, it is unknown how many children in a random population are or have been on a diet. METHODS: Parents of children in the fifth grade of primary schools in the Dutch province of Friesland were asked to complete a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: From 2500 questionnaires 90% were returned. Two hundred and thirty-one children aged between 9 and 12 years had been on a diet (10.3%, 95% CI 9.0%-11.6%). A cow's milk free diet was used most frequently (50% of the dieting children). Other diets were: diets excluding additives (16%), peanuts (16%), sugar (15%) and lactose (11%). CONCLUSION: The use of diets by children in a general population is widespread: one in every ten children was or had been on a diet. Due to the known health risks associated with diets excluding one or more foods, such diets should only be advised by healthcare professionals.
