Linezolid-induced posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a 71-year-old woman who developed clinical and neuroradiological features of posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome with a compromised blood-brain barrier after 5 days of intravenous linezolid therapy for an infected hip prosthesis.


METHODS
Case report.


METHODS
Academic research.


METHODS
Posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome was documented using serial cranial magnetic resonance imaging, and the blood-brain barrier disturbance was demonstrated by contrast enhancement of a lesion and by cerebrospinal fluid analysis.


RESULTS
Other causes of posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome, such as renal failure, severe hypertension, inflammatory syndromes, and infectious diseases of the central nervous system, were excluded during hospitalization. After discontinuation of linezolid therapy, the patient's condition improved rapidly.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first report of likely linezolid-induced posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome with an altered blood-brain barrier after short-term intravenous therapy.
Nagel
Simon
S
Department of Neurology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. simon.nagel@med.uni-heidleberg.de
Köhrmann
Martin
M
Huttner
Hagen B
HB
Storch-Hagenlocher
Brigitte
B
Schwab
Stefan
S
D000081:Acetamides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000368:Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020343:Hypertensive Encephalopathy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D000069349:Linezolid; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000081:Acetamides; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023303:Oxazolidinones; D000069349:Linezolid