[Two cases of metronidazole-induced encephalopathy].
Metronidazole is a 5-nitroimidazole compound known as an antimicrobial agent widely used for the treatment of protozoal infection, anaerobic infection, Helicobacter pylori infection and hepatic encephalopathy. It may produce a number of neurologic side effects including peripheral neuropathy, seizure, encephalopathy, ataxic gait and dysarthritic speech. There have been ten or more reports of metronidazole-induced encephalopathy in the literatures including a few reports of brain imaging changes by magnetic resonance images (MRI). However, none of the case of metronidazole-induced encephalopathy in patients with hepatic encephalopathy has been reported yet. Recently, we experienced two cases of metronidazole-induced encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis B, which were diagnosed by brain MRI and MR spectroscopy. In this report, we present 2 cases of metronidazole-induced encephalopathy with MR imaging and MR spectroscopic changes including follow-up imaging performed after the discontinuation of the metronidazole with a review of the literatures.
Kim
Kook Hyun
KH
Department of Internal Medicine, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu 705-717, Korea.
Choi
Jae Won
JW
Lee
Ji Yun
JY
Kim
Tae Dong
TD
Paek
Jong Hae
JH
Lee
Eun Ju
EJ
Oh
Hyun A
HA
Kim
Jun Hwan
JH
Jang
Byeong Ik
BI
Kim
Tae Nyeun
TN
Chung
Moon Kwan
MK
Lee
Heon Ju
HJ
Byun
Woo Mok
WM
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D008795:Metronidazole