Reactions 1012 - 31 Jul 2004

SRiluzole

Neutropenia in an elderly patient: case reportA 71-year-old woman developed neutropenia during

treatment with riluzole for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Three months after starting treatment with riluzole 50mg

twice daily, the woman presented with a fever. Laboratoryinvestigations revealed a haemoglobin level of 11.5 g/dL, aplatelet count of 156 × 103/mm3 and a WBC count of1.24 × 103/mm3, with 18% neutrophils (absolute count0.22 × 103), 46% lymphocytes and 27% monocytes.

Treatment with filgrastim and empiric antibacterials wasstarted, and riluzole was discontinued. On hospital day 4, herWBC count increased to 7.33 × 103/mm3, with an absoluteneutrophil count of 5.22 × 103. Filgrastim was stopped and, onday 6, her fever resolved.

Author comment: "Although several infections can causeleukopenia, the lack of detection of such disease, theselective granulocytic depression, and the recovery ofneutrophil count after riluzole discontinuation make drugeffect more likely."Weber G, et al. Riluzole-induced neutropenia. Neurology 62: 1648, No. 9, 11 May2004 - Israel 800981729

» Editorial comment: A search of AdisBase and Medlinerevealed one previous case report of neutropenia associatedwith riluzole [see Reactions 798:10, 22 Apr 2000; 800823566]

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Reactions 31 Jul 2004 No. 10120114-9954/10/1012-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved