“Sunbath polyneuritis”: Subacute axonal neuropathy in perazine-treated patients after intense sun exposure

✍ Scribed by Ulrich Roelcke; Christiane Hornstein; Ernst Hund; Horst P. Schmitt; Rainer Siess; Matthias Kaltenmaier; Jakob Fässler; Hans-M. Meinck

• Book ID: 101254609
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 344 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0148-639X
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199604)19:4<438::aid-mus2>3.0.co;2-d

✦ Synopsis

This article aims at drawing attention to the peculiar association of intense exposure to sunlight and subacute development of sensory neuropathy which was seen in 7 psychiatric patients treated with the phenothiazine derivative, perazine. Three patients additionally developed bilateral VII nerve palsy. Symptoms followed a monophasic course with almost complete remission. Routine neurophysiology suggested axonal neuropathy confirmed by sural nerve biopsy in 1 patient. A toxic origin of neuropathy is supposed, possibly induced by phenothiazine photoproducts, which may cause cell damage via lipid peroxidation.