[Metronidazole-related polyneuritis, convulsive seizures, and cerebellar syndrome. Contribution of MRI].
BACKGROUND
Neurological complications of metronidazole are rare, predominantly peripheral neuropathies, especially in patients on a long-term high-dose regimen. Cerebellar syndrome or seizures are less frequently reported. The concomitant occurrence of the three complications is exceptional.


METHODS
We report herein a case with these three complications as side effects of metronidazole. For the cerebellar syndrome, the T2-weighted brain MRI showed a rounded and well-delimited zone of high signal intensity in the cerebellar dentate nuclei, extending up to the protuberance and the subthalamic nucleus, bilaterally and symmetrically.


CONCLUSIONS
Neurological complications are possible when a treatment with metronidazole is prescribed for a long duration or at high dose. In our patient, the clinical abnormalities and MRI signs regressed a few months after treatment withdrawal.
Ferroir
J-P
JP
hôpital Tenon, Paris, France. jean-pierre.ferroir@tnn.aphp.fr
Corpechot
C
C
Freudenreich
A
A
Khalil
A
A
D000368:Aged; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009443:Neuritis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D008795:Metronidazole