Effectiveness of olanzapine in neurosyphilis related organic psychosis: a case report

Abstract

The clinicians usually do not consider syphilis in the differential diagnosis for patients with acute and chronic psychiatric symptoms. To familiarize clinicians particularly with neurosyphilis (NS) and to discuss the atypical antipsychotic alternatives, we wish to present a case with agitated, resistant psychotic symptoms related to neurosyphilis. The case was a 55-year-old male who has had anxiety, irritability, auditory hallucinations, ataxia, dysarthric speech, paranoid and persecutory delusions and agitated behaviour. Parenteral ziprasidone 20 mg/bid was initialized at the first day of admission to reduce agitation. Then it was switched to olanzapine velotab 10mg/bid because of inefficacy. Parenteral cephtriaxon 1 g/daily was administered because of seropositive VDRL and TPHA and positive cerebrospinal fluid VDRL. Olanzapine velotab may be a good alternative antipsychotic and should be considered in reducing agitation and psychotic symptoms in NS.