title: Procalcitonin, a high acute phase reactant in antiepileptic hypersentivity syndrome in pediatric age.
abstract: Antiepileptic hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) is a potentially life-threatening syndrome in pediatric cases. It is associated with aromatic anticonvulsivant drugs and others antibiotics with or without associated reactivation of virus. The pathogenesis of the process is not clear. Clinical feature of this syndrome include cutaneous reactions, fever and lymphadenopathies, but different organs can be involved. In laboratory analyses we can find leucocytosis, eosinophilia, and increase in transaminase levels. Significant elevation of procalcitonin (PCT) has been described in two adults patients. This study we report two cases of a 14-year-old male and a 13-year-old female with a AHS and a high level of the PCT. These are the first cases described in pediatric age. Establishing a diagnosis of AHS is important to avoid the use of the involved drug. The treatment is based on the withdrawal of the drugs that are supposed and if there is no improvement or a deterioration of the patient, the use of systemic corticosteroids is often useful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Avd. Menéndez Pelayo 65, 28009 Madrid, Spain. verocantarin@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cantarín-Extremera
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castaño-De La Mota
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Coca
authors.forename: Mariluz Ruiz-Falcó
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Luis González
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Gutierrez-Solana
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: García Peñas
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martínez-Pérez
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duat-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: López-Marín
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Losada-Del Pozo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects; D003875:Drug Eruptions; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017034:Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000009:adverse effects; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000009:adverse effects; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002220:Carbamazepine; D010672:Phenytoin; D002116:Calcitonin; D000637:Transaminases; D010424:Pentobarbital; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide