Reactions 1326 - 6 Nov 2010

SRopinirole

Inflammatory aneurysm in an elderly patient:case report

A 72-year-old man developed an inflammatory aneurysmof the abdominal aorta following treatment with ropinirolefor Parkinson’s disease.

The man had been treated with levodopa/carbidopa andropinirole since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease11 years ago. Upon admission for a febrile illness withsignificant anorexia and fatigue, his current dose ofropinirole was 15 mg/day [route and duration not stated].Laboratory findings included moderate normochromic-normocytic anaemia, an increased ESR and increased levelsof C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, IgA, total globulin andβ2-microglobulin. Findings of a CT scan were indicative ofperiaortic oedema and inflammatory soft tissue formationwithout aneurysm. Withdrawal of ropinirole wassuggested, but was rejected by the man. He commencedmethylprednisolone, with complete relief of his symptomswithin a few days, and remission of anaemia. Three monthslater, a 4cm saccular aneurysm was revealed by a follow-upCT scan arising from the right anterolateral portion of theaorta [treatment and outcome not stated].

Author comment: "Our patient was exposed for a longperiod of time to large doses of ropinirole, and there was noother apparent cause for his illness. Therefore, a relationshipbetween his illness and the drug appears possible, at leasttheoretically."Parissis D, et al. Inflammatory aneurysm of the abdominal aorta in a patient treatedwith ropinirole. Journal of Neurology 257: 1582-1584, No. 9, Sep 2010. Availablefrom: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00415-010-5568-6 - Greece 803043163

1

Reactions 6 Nov 2010 No. 13260114-9954/10/1326-0001/$14.95 © 2010 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved