title: Phenytoin-induced pseudolymphoma syndrome: an immunologic study.
abstract: In vitro and in vivo immunologic studies were performed on a 28-year-old woman with phenytoin sodium-induced pseudolymphoma syndrome. During the acute phase of the syndrome, the patient appeared immunologically depressed. Six months after resolution of lymphadenopathy, repeat studies demonstrated a return to immunologic competence. In vitro studies of the patient's lymphocytes when incubated with phenytoin failed to indicate a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to the drug; These findings suggest that the patient developed a clinical lymphatic proliferation at a time when she was immunologically depressed. This may result in an increased chance of a mutant malignant clone developing at a time when the immunosurveillance system is impaired and explains why a rare patient with this syndrome may develop a frank malignant lymphoma.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D010672:Phenytoin