Withdrawal of Maintenance Antiparkinson Drug in the Phenothiazine-Induced Extrapyramidal Reaction

A placebo was substituted for maintenance antiparkinson drug in 41 patients who had been given this medication for the control of phenothiazine-induced extra-pyramidal reactions. These reactions did not recur in 24 of the 41 patients (59%). Although recurrence rates will vary with different clinical situations, it is probable that a large proportion of patients do not require maintenance antiparkinson drug for continued clinical control of phenothiazine-induced extra-pyramidal reactions. Trials are recommended to determine which patients should or should not continue to receive maintenance antiparkinson drug.