Extremely acute phenytoin-induced peripheral neuropathy.
OBJECTIVE
Peripheral neuropathy is a rare adverse effect associated with phenytoin (PHT), and it usually occurs after the prolonged use of PHT. Acute PHT-induced peripheral neuropathy is extremely rare.


METHODS
An 18-year-old girl was admitted for the control of epilepsy. Just a few hours after the administration of PHT, she complained of distal lower-extremity paresthesia in a stocking distribution and motor weakness: the Achilles tendon reflex was absent.


RESULTS
Electrophysiological studies revealed slightly reduced sensory-conduction velocity and mild prolongation of distal latency in the lower extremities. After the discontinuation of PHT, these symptoms disappeared gradually, and sensory-conduction velocity and distal latency became normal.


CONCLUSIONS
Although it has been reported that peripheral neuropathy occurred after treatment with PHT for a week, there has been no report of a patient such as ours, who developed peripheral neuropathy just a few hours after the initial administration of PHT. The underlying mechanism remains unknown; however, we should pay attention to such extremely acute peripheral neuropathy when using PHT.
Yoshikawa
H
H
Department of Pediatrics, Niigata City General Hospital, Japan.
Abe
T
T
Oda
Y
Y
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017034:Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010672:Phenytoin