Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: This case report was considered to present refeeding syndrome and the occurrence of schizophrenia could be due to eating disorder. It is about a 40-year-old female patient, former employee at a local bank, ex-principal at a local school, and an NGO worker with a past psychiatric history of psychotic episodes previously treated with multiple antipsychotics along with suspected non-compliance. The patient had not been eating for several weeks, and her father described her as severely malnourished. She exhibited severe paranoid delusions, including a fear that people were trying to harm her. She would particularly refuse any male who tried to approach her. She was suffering from fatigue, muscle weakness, confusion, and fluid retention. Her bloodwork revealed low serum electrolytes and slightly elevated liver function tests. Careful electrolyte repletion and slow reintroduction of nutrition were adopted to treat this patient. Chronic illnesses like schizophrenia could be a risk for eating disorders. Phenomenon like refeeding syndrome could be seen and should be diagnosed.
Authors: Usman Amin Hotiana, Shawaz Ali, Umair Ahmed, Muzammil Sabir, Samin Fatima, Maryam Nisar Ayub
Institution: Rashid Latif Medical College
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4405831671