You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Unusual presentation of more common disease/injury
Case report
Acute psychosis and concurrent rhabdomyolysis unveiling diagnosis of hypothyroidism
  1. Mouhand FH Mohamed1,
  2. Ali B Mahgoub2,
  3. Sundus Sardar2 and
  4. Abdel-Naser Elzouki1,3
  1. 1 General Internal Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
  2. 2 Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
  3. 3 College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
  1. Correspondence to Dr Mouhand FH Mohamed, dr.m.oraiby{at}hotmail.com, mmohamed55{at}hamad.qa

Abstract

Neuropsychiatric and muscular symptoms can develop as part of hypothyroidism. However, frank psychosis or rhabdomyolysis due to hypothyroidism are uncommon and have been reported rarely as the first presenting features of hypothyroidism. We report a case of a 44-year-old man who presented with a 2-week history of delusions, hallucinations and mild bilateral leg pain, without apparent signs of myxedema. Investigations revealed raised thyroid stimulation hormone >100 mIU/L and high creatine kinase >21 000 U/L. Diagnosis of hypothyroidism-induced psychosis and rhabdomyolysis was made. He received thyroxine, olanzapine and a short course of steroids. His symptoms improved after 2 weeks of treatment and he remained free of symptoms at 6 months of follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of concomitant psychosis and rhabdomyolysis leading to hypothyroidism diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of hypothyroidism screening when faced with unexplained psychosis or rhabdomyolysis, especially if combined.

  • psychotic disorders (incl schizophrenia)
  • thyroid disease
  • psychiatry
  • endocrinology
  • endocrine system

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2019-231579

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    View Full Text

    Footnotes

    • Contributors MFHM, ABM, SS and A-NE were all involved in the patient’s care, MFHM viewed the importance of the case and formed the research team. SS and MFHM obtained consent from the patient and followed him up. MFHM wrote the initial manuscript. ABM, SS and A-NE reviewed the manuscript, helped in preparing the updated final version, and approved it before submission. ABM constructed the figure and table. MMFH submitted the final version of the case to BMJ.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.