Encephalopathy induced by antihelminthic use of levamisole: A report of two patients

Journal Medical Libanais

Volumn 51, Issue 4, 2003, Pages 221-227

  El Kallab, Kamal ^a,c   El Khoury, Jihad ^a   Elias, Edouard ^a   Chelala, Amale ^b  

^a Notre Dame des Secours Hospital   (Lebanon)

^b Notre Dame des Secours University Hospital Center   (Lebanon)

^c NONE   (Lebanon)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ANTHELMINTIC AGENT; IMIDAZOLE; LEVAMISOLE; MEPREDNISONE; PREDNISONE; STEROID;

ADULT; BRAIN DISEASE; CASE REPORT; DRUG EXPOSURE; ENDEMIC DISEASE; FATIGUE; FEMALE; FEVER; HEADACHE; HELMINTHIASIS; HUMAN; IMAGING SYSTEM; IMMUNOMODULATION; LABORATORY TEST; LEBANON; MALE; MEDICAL LITERATURE; MENTAL DEFICIENCY; MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS; NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING; PATHOPHYSIOLOGY; PROGNOSIS; REVIEW;

ADULT; ANTHELMINTICS; COLONIC NEOPLASMS; DIAGNOSIS, DIFFERENTIAL; DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP, DRUG; FEMALE; FLUOROURACIL; HUMANS; IMMUNOLOGIC FACTORS; LEBANON; LEVAMISOLE; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; NEUROTOXICITY SYNDROMES; PROGNOSIS; STEROIDS;

EID: 11144247674     PISSN: 00239852     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Review

References (39)

1. Goldsmith R. Infections diseases: Protozoal and antihelminthic. In: Tierney, McPhee, Papadakis, editors. Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment, 41st edition. San Franciscco: McGraw-Hill, 2002: 1517.
2. Vandevelde M, Boring J, Hoff E, Gengirich D. The effect of Levamisole on the canine central system. J Neurophathol Exp Neurol 1978; 37 (2): 165-73.
3. Schuermans Y. Levamisole in rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet 1975 Jan 11; 1 (7898): 111.
4. Kurman MR. Levamisole and melanoma. J Clin Oncol 1991; 9 (9): 1714-15.
5. Moertel CG, Fleming TR, McDonald JS et al. Levamisole and fluorouracil for adjuvant therapy of resected colon carcinoma. N Eng J Med 1990 Feb 8; 332 (6): 352-8.
6. Cendrowski W, Cztonkowska A. Levamisole in multiple sclerosis, with special reference to immunological parameters. Acta Neurol Scand 1978 Apr; 57 (4): 354-9.
7. Dau PC, Johnson KP, Spitler L. The effect of Levamisole on cellular immunity in multiple sclerosis. Clin Exp Immunol 1976 Nov; 26 (2): 302-9.
8. Ellison GW, Myers LW. A review of systemic nonspecific immunosuppressive treatment of multiple sclerosis. Neurology 1978; 28 (2): 132-9.
9. Antel JP, Arnason BGW, Medof ME. Suppressor cell function in multiple sclerosis: Correlation with clinical disease activity. Ann Neurology 1979 Apr; 5 (4): 338-42.
10. Symoens J, Veys E, Mielants M, Pinals R. Adverse reactions to Levamisole. Cancer Treat Rep 1978; 62 (11): 1721-30.
11. Yeo W, Tong M, Chan Y. Multifocal cerebral demyelination secondary to fluorouracil and Levamisole therapy. J Clin Oncol 1999; 17 (1): 431-3.
12. Israel Z, Lossos A, Barak V et al. Multifocal demyelinative leukoencephalopathy associated with 5-Fluorouracil and Levamisole. Acta Oncologica 2000; 39 (1): 117-20.
13. Hook C, Kimmel D, Kvols L et al. Multifocal inflammatory leuoencephalopathy with 5-Fluorouracil and Levamisole. Ann Neurol 1992 Mar; 31 (3): 262-7.
14. Kimmel D, Schutt A. Multifocal leukoencephalopathy: Occurrence during 5-Fluorouracil and Levamisole therapy and resolution after discontinuation of chemotherapy. Mayo Clin Proc 1993; 68 (4): 363-5.
15. Ferroir JP, Fenelon G, Beaugerie L et al. Leucoencéphalophathie multifocale inflammatoire. Complication de la chimiothérapie par 5-Fluorouracile et Levamisole. Rev Neurol (Paris) 1994; 150 (6-7): 471-4.
16. Leichman L, Brown T, Poplin B. Symptomatic, radiologic and pathologic change in the central nervous system (CNS) associated with 5-Fluorouracile (5FU) and Levamisole (LEV) therapy [abstract]. Prog Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 1993; 12: 198 (Cited by Kimmel ref 17).
17. Kimmel D, Wijdicks E, Rodriguez M. Multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy associated with Levamisole therapy. Neurology 1995 Feb; 45 (2): 374-6.
18. Lucia P, Pocek M, Passacantando A et al. Multifocal leucoencephalopathy induced by Levamisole. Lancet 1996 Nov 23; 348 (9039): 1450.
19. Zheng R, Zhang X, Chuan Z, Lin Z. Epidemiological features of delayed encephalopathy induced by anthelminthic imidazoles - 18-years invasion in 193 cases in Wenzhou, China. Pharmaco Epidemiol Drug Safety 1994; 3 (Suppl 1): S119.
20. Zheng R, Zhang X, Lin Z, Wan X. Clinical features and diagnosis of delayed encephalopathy induced by antihelminthic imidazoles (Clinical analysis of 202 cases.) Pharmaco Epidemiol Drug Safety 1994; 3 (Suppl 1): S119.
21. Zheng RY, Jiang ZC, Zheng X. Relationship between Levamisole and encephalitis syndrome. Chung Hua Nei Ko Tsa Chih 1992; 31(9): 530-2, 585 [abstract].
22. Zheng R. Differential diagnosis of delayed encephalopathy induced by antihelminthic imidazoles. Chung Hua Nei Ko Tsa Chih 1995; 34 (7): 468-71 [Abstract].
23. Xiumei L, Shulan C. Report on three cases of Tetramisole induced encephalitis and their CT changes. Chin J Nerv Ilness 1987; 6: 368-9.
24. Schwarz S, Mohr A, Knauth M et al. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a follow-up study of 40 adult patients. Neurology 2001 May 22; 56 (10): 1313-18.
25. Durston J, Milnes JR. Relapsing encephalomyelitis. Brain 1970; 93 (4): 715-30.
26. Kesselring J, Miller D, Robbs et al. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis MRI findings and the distinction from multiple sclerosis. Brain 1990 Apr; 113 (pt 2): 291-302.
27. Lucchinetti CF, Kimmel DW, Pavelko K et al. 5-Fluorouracil and Levamisole exacerbate demyelination in susceptible mice infected with Theiler's Virus. Exp Neurol 1997 Sep; 147 (1): 123-9.
28. Barbano G, Ginevri F, Ghiggeri GM, Gusmano R. Disseminated autoimmune disease during Levamisole treatment of nephrotic syndrom. Pediatric Nephrol 2000; 14 (10-11): 1057-8.
29. Kishimoto C, Takada H, Hiraoka Y, Kurokawa M, Ochiai H. Effects of Levamisole, an immunomodulator, upon murin encephalomyocarditis virus myocarditis. Heart Vessels 1997; 12 (2): 67-73.
30. Binet JL, Lepoirrier M. Hematology in 1975. La Rev Prat 1976; 26 (29): 2019-36.
31. Renoux G. Mode d'action du Levamisole. Nouv Presse Med 1977; 6 (38): 3552.
32. Olarte MR, Shafer SQ. Levamisole is ineffective in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurology 1985 Jul; 35 (7): 1063-6.
33. Editorial: Levamisole. Lancet 1975; 1 (7899): 151-2.
34. Mahmoud T, Robinson W. Effect of Levamisole on human granulopdïesis in vitro. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 1977; 156: 359-64.
35. Renoux G. The general immunopharmacology of Levamisole. Drugs 1980 Aug; 20 (2): 89-99.
36. Payan D, Katzung B. Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; monopioid analgesics; drugs used in gout. In: Katzung, ed. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 6th edition. Norwalt: A Lange Medical Book, 1995: 550.
37. Wang C. Basic principles of antiparasitic chimiotherapy. In: Katzung, ed. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 6th edition. Norwalt: A Lange Medical Book, 1995: 777.
38. Levandoski MM, Piket B, Chang J. The antihelminthic Levamisole is an allosteric modulator of human neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Eur J Pharmacol 2003; 471 (1): 9-20.
39. Hwang YH, Suh CK, Park SP. Multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy: use of thalium-201 SPECT and proton MRS. J Korean Med Sci 2003; 18 (4): 621-4.