Coma blisters in 2 children on anticonvulsant medication.
Blister formation and eccrine sweat gland necrosis have been recognized to occur in states of impaired consciousness and were first reported following barbiturate intoxication. Their etiology is complex and cannot simply be explained by pressure effects. Now that barbiturates are less frequently used, clinicians are likely to be less aware of the phenomenon of coma blister formation; however, newer drugs have also been associated with the occurrence of coma blisters. We describe 2 new associations of coma blisters and anticonvulsants in children. In the first child, blisters recurred on multiple occasions along with obtundation and edema. Our aims are to alert clinicians to the occurrence of coma blisters in children sedated on anticonvulsant medications and to report the new finding of recurrent coma blisters.
Department of Paediatric Neurology, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom. a.p.basu@ncl.ac.uk
Anna
A
Basu
Sara
S
Brown
Nigel
N
Kirkham
Venkateswaran
V
Ramesh
Suzy
S
Leech
Anita
A
Devlin
D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001768:Blister / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000927:Anticonvulsants