Tolerability and efficacy of aripiprazole in a case of psychotic anorexia nervosa comorbid with epilepsy and chronic renal failure

Abstract

The aim of this case report was to examine the therapeutic benefit and tolerability of aripiprazole for psychotic symptoms in a case of anorexia nervosa comorbid with generalized epilepsy, chronic renal failure and Raynaud syndrome. The patient had a chronic anorexia nervosa with psychotic symptoms, already treated with risperidone without efficacy, mainly because it was underdosed due to side-effects. She refused to take olanzapine (fear of weight gain) but accepted a treatment with aripiprazole. Aripiprazole 30 mg/day was associated with considerable improvement of SANS and SAPS (scale for the assessment of negative and positive symptoms) scores on hallucinations, delusions, aggressivity, abulia and asociality. Weight remained stable and no side-effects were reported. These findings lend support to the possibility that aripiprazole may be useful and well tolerated in psychotic anorexia and in cases of comorbidity with epilepsy and/or renal failure. These data are preliminary and need to be confirmed in further controlled research.