Table 2.
Biological variables during and between four catatonic episodes at the psychiatric state hospital (admission 18).
| Episode | Trigger | Duration | Symptoms | Hypercortisolemia | Muscle Enzymes | ↑ Platelets2 (peak) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excitement | Stupor | ↑ Cortisol1 (peak) |
↑ WBC2 (peak) |
↑ CK3 (peak) |
↑ LDH3 (peak) |
||||
| First | Menses | 10 days (194 to 203) |
Yes | Yes | - | Yes (12,300) |
Yes (1957) |
No | Yes (598,000) |
|
| |||||||||
| Between first and second | 147 days (204 to 340) |
No | No | - | - | - | - | - | |
|
| |||||||||
| Second | Menses & benzo stop | 509 days (341 to 849) |
Yes | Yes | Intermittent (28) |
Persistent (23,300) |
Yes (4920) |
Yes (424) |
Yes (888,000) |
|
| |||||||||
| Between second and third | 364 days (850 to 1213) |
No | No | No | Initially4 (13,500) |
No | No | Initially5 (510,000) |
|
|
| |||||||||
| Third | Menses & ECT delay | 14 days (1272 to 1283) |
Yes | No | No | Yes (24,200) |
No | No | Initially6 (474,000) |
|
| |||||||||
| Between third and fourth | 281 days (1284 to 1562) |
No | No | - | - | - | - | - | |
|
| |||||||||
| Fourth | Benzo stop | 4 days (1563 to 1567) |
Yes | No | - | - | - | - | - |
Benzo: benzodiazepines; CK: creatine kinase; ECT: electroconvulsive therapy; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; WBC: white blood cell count.
1Units mcg/dL
2Unit count in mm3
3Units U/L
4WBC values were abnormal until 151 days after the end of the second catatonic episode.
5Platelet count was abnormal until 187 days after the end of the second catatonic episode.
6Platelet count was abnormal on day 5 of the third catatonic episode but after day 7 it became normal.