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A clinical lesson: glioblastoma multiforme masquerading as depression in a chronic alcoholic.

Habermeyer B, Weiland M, Mager R, Wiesbeck GA, Wurst FM

Psychiatric University Clinic, University of Basel, Switzerland. benedikt.habermeyer@upkbs.ch

AIMS: To highlight the need to consider other medical conditions when the presentation initially appears to be alcohol-related. METHOD: We report the case of a 34-year-old male alcoholic, who presented with clinical depression and later a delirious state, and was subsequently diagnosed to have a right frontal glioblastoma multiforme. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric patients, especially alcoholics, may present with physical and neurological symptoms in the emergency department, which are linked by the examiner to the toxic effects of alcohol. However, consideration should be given to the possibility that the symptoms are due to other severe medical conditions.

Published 18 December 2007 in Alcohol Alcohol, 43(1): 31-3.
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