Published online Feb 19, 2025. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i2.102259
Revised: December 7, 2024
Accepted: December 20, 2024
Published online: February 19, 2025
Processing time: 93 Days and 0.9 Hours
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can affect multiple organs or systems. The involvement of the central nervous system can result in the manifestation of epilepsy, an acute confusional state, and other rare neuropsychiatric presentations, such as catatonia.
We present a case of an adolescent male patient with first-onset SLE who presented with neuropsychiatric symptoms including epilepsy and delirium. The initial utilization of olanzapine to alleviate symptoms of agitation precipitated the emergence of catatonia, which was mitigated by discontinuing olanzapine and supplementing with lorazepam. In this case, whether the catatonia was secondary to the utilization of antipsychotics or to an organic disease is a question that warrants differential diagnosis.
Multidisciplinary collaborative management is the cornerstone for the successful management of severe cases of SLE.
Core Tip: Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) includes a variety of neurological and psychiatric features, whereas SLE is an underlying medical condition linked to catatonia, a potentially life-threatening neuropsychiatric condition. We present a case of an adolescent male patient with SLE who presented with neuropsychiatric symptoms including seizures and delirium, and who subsequently developed catatonia, independent of SLE, due to the use of antipsychotics. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case report of an adolescent patients with SLE who presented with catatonia secondary to the use of antipsychotics.