J Korean Med Sci.  2010 Nov;25(11):1688-1691. 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.11.1688.

Methotrimeprazine-induced Corneal Deposits and Cataract Revealed by Urine Drug Profiling Test

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea. clearcornea@paran.com
  • 2Department of Ophthalmology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Emergency Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Two schizophrenic patients who had been taking medication for a long period presented with visual disturbance of 6-month duration. Slit-lamp examination revealed fine, discrete, and brownish deposits on the posterior cornea. In addition, bilateral star-shaped anterior subcapsular lens opacities, which were dense, dust-like granular deposits, were noted. Although we strongly suspected that the patient might have taken one of the drugs of the phenothiazine family, we were unable to obtain a history of medications other than haloperidol and risperidone, which were taken for 3 yr. We performed a drug profiling test using urine samples and detected methotrimeprazine. The patient underwent surgery for anterior subcapsular lens opacities. Visual acuity improved in both eyes, but the corneal deposits remained. We report an unusual case of methotrimeprazine-induced corneal deposits and cataract in a patient with psychosis, identified by using the urine drug profiling test.

Keyword

Methotrimeprazine; Cornea Deposits; Cataract

MeSH Terms

Adult
Antipsychotic Agents/*adverse effects/therapeutic use/urine
Cataract/*chemically induced
Corneal Diseases/*chemically induced
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Retardation/diagnosis/drug therapy
Methotrimeprazine/*adverse effects/therapeutic use/urine
Middle Aged
Schizophrenia/diagnosis/drug therapy
Visual Acuity

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Slit lamp photographs (Case 1). It showed fine, discrete, and brownish deposits on the posterior cornea. (A) right eye, (B) left eye. It showed characteristic star-shaped deposits in the anterior sub-capsular area. (C) right eye, (D) left eye.

  • Fig. 2 Slit lamp photographs (Case 2). It showed fine, discrete, and brownish deposits on the posterior cornea. (A) right eye, (B) left eye. It showed characteristic star-shaped deposits in the anterior sub-capsular area. (C) right eye, (D) left eye.


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