Levetiracetam-Associated Acute Kidney Injury and Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) Syndrome

Mathieu Leblanc¹, Martin Plaisance^2*

¹Internal Medecine Residency Program, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.
²Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.

DOI: 10.4236/ojneph.2014.44022                

Abstract

DRESS syndrome is a severe drug induced reaction. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is sometimes present in the form of an acute interstitial nephritis. We present the case of a 75-year-old man with glioblastoma who developed a DRESS two months after starting levetiracetam and a few days after stopping dexamethasone. His skin and kidneys improved after removing levetiracetam and introducing again corticosteroids. DRESS has been reported more frequently with other antiepileptics, rarely with levetiracetam. Clinicians should add this drug to the list of potential causes of AKI.

Keywords

Acute Kidney Injury, DRESS Syndrome, HSV-1, Levetiracetam

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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