RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Rhabdomyolysis: a rare adverse effect of levetiracetam
JF BMJ Case Reports
JO BMJ Case Reports
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e230851
DO 10.1136/bcr-2019-230851
VO 12
IS 8
A1 Liza Thomas
A1 Madiha Muhammed Farooq Mirza
A1 Niaz Ahmed Shaikh
A1 Nahla Ahmed
YR 2019
UL http://casereports.bmj.com/content/12/8/e230851.abstract
AB A 62-year-old previously healthy male was admitted with new onset generalised tonic-clonic seizures. Treatment was initiated with the antiepileptic levetiracetam and he had no further episodes of seizures. Creatine kinase (CPK) level was 1812 IU/L 12-hour postadmission. Despite good hydration, his CPK levels continued to rise dramatically and reached a level of 19 000 IU/L on day 5. This rise was unexplained as he did not have any further seizures and had a normal renal function. In the absence of other risk factors, the rare possibility of levetiracetam being responsible for the disproportionately high CPK was considered. Within 12 hours of withdrawal of levetiracetam, there was a downward trend in the CPK levels, with a 10-fold decrease in CPK levels over the next 4 days. This is only the ninth case reported in literature regarding this rare and potentially serious adverse effect of levetiracetam.