2012•臺灣精神醫學Requires access
Mirtazapine for Treatment of Drug-Resistant Pathological Skin Picking
Bor-Shien Kuo, Chia-Hung Tang, Tzu‐Yun Wang, Carol Sheei‐Meei Wang, Hong-Chen Yeh
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Abstract
Objective: Pathological skin-picking (PSP) is a common disorder, and some pharmocotherapies for PSP have been reported. But the appropriate treatment is limited. We are reporting the use of mirtazapine to successfully treat a refractory PSP case. Case Report: This 42-year-old woman patient with mental retardation had suffered from treatment-refractory PSP for at least ten years. She had received behavioral therapies and various pharmacologic agents, including several kinds of antidepressants, topiramate, and lamotrigene. But she had got only minimal improvement. After receiving mirtazapine 30 mg/day for one week, the patient's PSP was dramatically improved. Conclusion: Mirtazapine showed to have improved PSP in this patient. More well-designed studies are needed to definitely prove the effect and neurobiologic actions of mirtazapine in PSP.