Corticosteroid-Related Psychiatric Complications in the Treatment of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in an Adolescent

We present the case of an adolescent with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, who developed symptoms of psychosis and mania during his treatment. Psychiatric side-effects of corticosteroids in the adult population have long been recognized and documented. A wide range of mental status changes have been reported (Francois Sirois, 2003). However, case reports documenting psychosis or mania related to corticosteroid use in children are rare. Psychotic symptoms developing during the treatment of asthma have been described, sometimes with mood disorder symptoms (French et al, 2003, Couturier et al, 2001, and Dawson and Carter, 1998). Beshay and Pumariega (1998) presented the case of a boy treated for ulcerative colitis, who developed depressive and psychotic symptoms. There are also published cases of adolescents with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia developing psychotic symptoms during treatment with corticosteroids (Ducore et al, 1983, Kramer and Cottingham, 1999, Sutor et al, 1996). Our case adds to the literature involving steroid-induced psychosis and mania in an adolescent with cancer.