title: Leflunomide-induced peripheral neuropathy.
abstract: Two cases of leflunomide-induced peripheral neuropathy are described; in a 60-year-old woman with sero-negative polyarthralgia-myalgia syndrome and a 65-year-old man with sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis, both treated with leflunomide at 20mg/day. Nerve conduction studies and electromyogram showed sensorimotor axonal neuropathy in both cases. An alternative cause for the axonal neuropathy was excluded by extensive investigations, including cerebrospinal fluid examination and nerve biopsy in the second patient. Both patients stabilized symptomatically and electrophysiologically upon cessation of leflunomide. It is possible that leflunomide-induced peripheral neuropathy has been under-reported and under-recognized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Royal Perth Hospital, Western Australia.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Kho
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kermode
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000077339:Leflunomide; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; D000077339:Leflunomide