Conversion Disorder: “An Adverse Reaction” to Watch Out For

A subject was enrolled in a multicenter, double-blinded clinical trial of ofloxacin-containing multidrug therapy for leprosy by the World Health Organization in 1992 and she developed multiple physical symptoms a few hours after taking the regimen. Physical examination and laboratory work-ups could not support a medical diagnosis and she was eventually dropped from the study. Decoding revealed that she belonged in the control group given the World Health Organization/multiple drug therapy–multibacillary regimen. In the course of treatment, she was diagnosed with conversion disorder and was subsequently treated with an antipsychotic.