Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Immediate hypersensitivity reaction to levetiracetam: a case report study

  • Case report
  • Published:
DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Anticonvulsant drugs are one of the most common causes of delayed hypersensitivity reactions, such as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). These reactions are more prevalent with aromatic anticonvulsant drugs such as phenytoin and carbamazepine. However, immediate hypersensitivity reactions such as urticaria, angioedema, and anaphylaxis with anticonvulsant drugs are rare. We describe a 51-year-old woman who developed spreading skin rashes on her wrists with urticaria and pruritus 24 h after receiving intravenous levetiracetam.

Conclusion

Clinicians should be aware of immediate hypersensitivity reactions with intravenous levetiracetam.

Graphical abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Data is available on request. Please contact namazisoha@yahoo.com.

References

  1. Błaszczyk B, Lasoń W, Czuczwar SJ. Antiepileptic drugs and adverse skin reactions: an update. Pharmacol Rep. 2015;67(3):426–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharep.2014.11.009.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Tatum WO. Antiepileptic drugs: adverse effects and drug interactions. Continuum. 2010;16(3):136–58. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.con.0000368236.41986.24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Fabrizio F, Paolo B, Silvia C, Fabio C, Giuseppe C, Lucia L, et al. Mechanisms of hypersensitivity reactions induced by drugs. Acta Biomed. 2019;90(3):44. https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v90i3-S.8160.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Marzano AV, Borghi A, Cugno M. Adverse drug reactions and organ damage: the skin. Eur J Intern Med. 2016;28:17–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2015.11.017.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Justiz Vaillant AA, Vashisht R, Zito PM. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions. [Used 2023 Jul 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513315/

  6. Kim HK, Kim DY, Bae E-K, Kim DW. Adverse skin reactions with antiepileptic drugs using Korea adverse event reporting system database, 2008–2017. J Korean Med Sci. 2020;35(4):e17. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e17.

  7. Kahraman Ş, Deǧermenci Ş, Oktay MA, Menderes D, Güleryüz OD, Arhan E, et al. Anaphylaxis to levetiracetam in an adolescent: a very rare occurence. Turk J Pediatr. 2021;63(3):506–9. https://doi.org/10.24953/turkjped.2021.03.019.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Koklu E, Ariguloglu EA, Koklu S. Levetiracetam-induced anaphylaxis in a neonate. Pediatr Neurol. 2014;50(2):192–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2013.09.006.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Alkhotani A, McLachlan RS. Levetiracetam induced angioedema in a patient with previous anticonvulsant hypersensitivity reaction to phenytoin and lamotrigine. Seizure. 2012;21(5):407–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2012.03.007.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cacoub P, Musette P, Descamps V, Meyer O, Speirs C, Finzi L, Roujeau JC. The DRESS syndrome: a literature review. Am J Med. 2011;124(7):588–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.01.017.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Demoly P, Bousquet J. Epidemiology of drug allergy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001;1(4):305–10. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.all.0000011031.16814.e0.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Jain S, Green S, Rose M. Anaphylaxis following intravenous paracetamol: the problem is the solution. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2015;43(6):779–81. https://doi.org/10.1177/0310057X1504300617.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Panda S. Cross-sensitivity of Levetiracetam and Carbamazepine Induced Skin Rash. J Assoc Physicians India. 2019;67(4):89–90.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Buyuktiryaki AB, Bezirganoglu H, Sahiner UM, Yavuz ST, Tuncer A, Kara A, et al. Patch testing is an effective method for the diagnosis of carbamazepine-induced drug reaction, eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome in an 8-year-old girl. Australas J Dermatol. 2012;53(4):274–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Bhoi SK, Kalita J, Misra UK. Skin rash following levetiracetam. Seizure-Europ J Epilepsy. 2016;1(37):45–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

None

Funding

Not applicable.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran

    Mahnaz Sadat Hosseini & Soha Namazi

  2. Research Center for Rational Use of Drugs, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran

    Soha Namazi

Authors
  1. Mahnaz Sadat Hosseini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Soha Namazi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

The author(s) read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Soha Namazi.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the.

research, authorship,and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hosseini, M.S., Namazi, S. Immediate hypersensitivity reaction to levetiracetam: a case report study. DARU J Pharm Sci 32, 435–438 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40199-023-00488-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40199-023-00488-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation