Abstract
Objectives: To describe two patients with tics status, propose a definition of this syndrome and draw attention to its clinical significance.
Method: Two patients suffering from Tourette' s Syndrome who had developed episodes of continual motor tics that lasted from minutes to hours, were non-suppressible and intruded into normal functioning, were treated with an increase in the dose of haloperidol, in one case with the addition of clonazepam.
Results: The offset of the episodes was gradual and the tic disorder was worse after the episodes. One patient had further spontaneous episodes of tics status.
Conclusions: The recognition of tics status has implications for the management as well as our understanding of the pathobiology of tics and Tourette' s Syndrome. The definition of tics status should be standardised.