Dystonia induced by gabapentin.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of dystonia as an adverse effect of gabapentin.


METHODS
A 72-year-old woman was diagnosed with essential tremor and treated with propranolol 120 mg daily. The drug was withdrawn because of bradycardia, and gabapentin was prescribed 3 times a day at escalating doses to reach 2100 mg daily. The woman developed a dystonic reaction involving muscles of the neck and both arms that resolved rapidly after drug withdrawal. She was restarted on gabapentin with slow titration to 1800 mg daily, but the same dystonic reaction appeared, which led to definitive withdrawal of the drug. An objective causality assessment revealed that this adverse effect was highly probable.


CONCLUSIONS
There have been only a few previous reports of gabapentin-induced dystonia. Other movement disorders reported with gabapentin include myoclonus, ataxia, and choreoathetosis. Gabapentin has been used to treat dystonias with variable results.


CONCLUSIONS
Although gabapentin is widely used and well tolerated, it can cause dystonic reactions, which are reversible after drug withdrawal.
Pina
Miguel A
MA
Neurology Unit, Hospital Obispo Polanco de Teruel, Teruel, Spain.
Modrego
Pedro J
PJ
D000368:Aged; D000588:Amines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004421:Dystonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000588:Amines; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin