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Is anyone aware of any established links between schizophrenia and foot fissures?

I've noticed foot fissures in most of my patients with schizophrenia, and am wondering if it is related to the medication they take (frequently Clozapine and Effexor), or other associated factors.

Have you noticed the same?

Could be:
1. Autonomic effects of medication --> anhidrotic skin
2. Neglect/lack of self care and/or inadequate access to health services

__________________
Craig Payne
Department of Podiatry
La Trobe University
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/podiatry
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God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things - right now I am so far behind, I will never die.
The views expressed above are those of the author and not that of La Trobe University
This is where I am, where are you?

My former wife suffered from this disorder, a very misunderstood one, not the 'split personality' of popular literature. I think Craigs 'lack of self care' is closer the mark. This combines with some very hard to identify self harming rituals that SZ's have. A glimpse into the confused hell that such people live in is frightening.

Martin

Another factor may be self mutilation here although Dr.Payne raised an excellent point regarding antipsychotropic medications and anhidrosis.

I was a podiatrist in an old Victorian type mental health hospital for 4 years. I often wonder about the effects of lithium as I discovered that many patients on this medication had PN. I also found more heel callous and anhidrosis in this client group than any other and wonder about gait as well as lack of awareness.