Shao-Tsu Chen , Shaw-Ji Chen
Department of Psychiatry, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital and Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
Abstract
A 67-year-old Han Chinese man had been suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD) for 3 years. He received slow-release Madopar 250 mg and Madopar 375 mg per day for his PD. He suffered an L3 compression fracture in an accident and was hospitalized for surgery because of severe back pain. He was referred to a psychiatrist because of severe depression. Duloxetine (30 mg twice per day, without titration) was prescribed for both antidepressant and analgesic effects. This regimen was continued for 7 months with no deterioration in cognitive function, and no worsening of PD was observed in his monthly follow-up. Duloxetine, which is a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, may have the same antidepressant effect as tricyclic antidepressants but has fewer side effects for PD patients.
Keywords
Antidepressant; Depression; Duloxetine; Parkinson's disease; Side effects
