Nonconvulsive status epilepticus: the role of morphine and its antagonist.
A 77-year-old woman with no history of epilepsy presented a probable nonconvulsive status epilepticus while receiving continuous intravenous morphine for back pain relating to vertebral metastasis of a malignant lymphoma. A generalized tonic-clonic seizure occurred a few minutes after injection of the morphine antagonist naloxone. No cerebral lesion was detected. This observation supports the notion of a possible pro-epileptogenic effect of opioid substances in association with metabolic and other toxic factors. Various hypotheses as to the complex actions of morphine and its antagonist in epileptogenesis are discussed.
Bertran
F
F
Service d'explorations fonctionnelles neurologiques, IFR neuro-imagerie fonctionnelle, centre hospitalier universitaire, Caen, France.
Denise
P
P
Letellier
P
P
D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine