title: Dantrolene and pleural effusion: case report and review of literature.
abstract: METHODS
  Single-subject case (a quadriplegic female, 56 years).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe a new case of eosinophilic pleural effusion induced by dantrolene chronic administration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical medicine and rehabilitation unit in a teaching hospital, France.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis of an eosinophilic pleural effusion induced by dantrolene without any respiratory symptoms, except a decrease of breath sounds on the right lung base.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chest radiograph revealed a right-sided pleural effusion, and blood cell count a significant peripheral eosinophilia. Thoracenthesis contained 85% of eosinophils. The other explorations eliminated other causes of pleural effusion. The diagnosis of drug-induced effusion was almost sure and led us to discontinue the dantrolene. After 3 months, she had completely recovered. These characteristics, similar to the eight other cases described in the literature, are essential for the diagnosis of pleural effusion induced by dantrolene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dantrolene, a long-acting skeletal muscle relaxant, is well known to induce liver side effects but it can also induce pleural pericarditis. The pathogenesis is still not clearly identified, but similarities of chemical structures of dantrolene and nitrofurantoine make us think that it could be the same mechanism. The association between dantrolene and nitrofurantoine may have contributed to the expression of the pleural effusion.
authors.affiliation: 1Service de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation, Hôpital Bellevue, CHU de Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lê-Quang
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calmels
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valayer-Chaléat
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fayolle-Minon
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gautheron
mesh_terms: D003620:Dantrolene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D009582:Nitrofurantoin / Q000009:adverse effects; D010994:Pleura / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D011859:Radiography; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D009582:Nitrofurantoin; D003620:Dantrolene