Leucopenia y neutropenia de rápida evolución inducidas por olanzapina / Leucopenia and neutropenia rapidly evolving induced by olanzapine

Algunos antipsicóticos se asocian a discrasias sanguíneas. El psicofármaco que más produce agranulocitosis es la clozapina (0,5-2% de los pacientes). La olanzapina es un antipsicótico de segunda generación con estructura química similar a la clozapina que tiene un riesgo de leucopenia/neutropenia de 1/10.000 pacientes tratados. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 32 años sin antecedentes somáticos ni psiquiátricos, hospitalizado por un primer episodio psicótico. En la analítica previa al ingreso no había alteraciones en el hemograma (leucocitos totales 8,92x103/ul, neutrófilos totales 6,99x103/ul). A los tres días de haber iniciado tratamiento con olanzapina 20mg/día el recuento leucocitario había disminuido a 2,46x103/ul (neutrófilos totales 0,64x103/ ul). Tras sustituir la olanzapina, inicialmente por risperidona y posteriormente por zuclopentixol intramuscular, el recuento leucocitario fue aumentando progresivamente. A los doce días de la retirada, el hemograma se había normalizado (leucocitos totales 5,73x103/ul) (AU)

Some antipsychotics drugs are associated with blood dyscrasias. The psychotropic medication most frequently associated with agranulocytosis is clozapine (0,5-2% of patients). Olanzapine is a second-generation antipsychotic with a chemical structure similar to clozapine, with a risk of neutropenic reactions of 1/10.000 treated patients. We report the case of a 32-yearold man without medical or psychiatric records, who was admitted due to a first psychotic episode. In a blood test previous to hospitalization, complete blood cell count was normal (white blood cell count 8,92x103/ul, neutrophilic count 6,99x103/ul). Three days after initiation of olanzapine 20mg/day, WBC count had fallen to 2,46x103/ul (neutrophilic count 0,64x103/ul). After replacing olanzapine, initially for risperidone and later for intramuscular zuclopentixol, WBC count gradually increased. On the twelfth day of olanzapine withdrawal, complete blood cell count had normalized (WBC count 5,73x103/ul) (AU)

[The effectiveness of levetiracetam in the treatment of neuropathic pain]. / Eficacia del levetiracetam en el tratamiento del dolor neuropático.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacological treatment is the first that should be taken into account in dealing with neuropathic pain, antiepileptic drugs being one of the leading options. Levetiracetam is a state of the art antiepileptic drug that has displayed antinociceptive activity in experimental models of pain and clinical effectiveness as an analgesic in series of patients with neuropathic pain. AIM: To analyse the effectiveness of levetiracetam as an analgesic in the treatment of neuropathic pain by means of a systematic review of the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The Medline/PubMed database was used in the study and the search criteria included three fundamental elements: levetiracetam, neuropathic pain and patients. The studies identified were those published before 31st January 2011. The selected studies were submitted to a quality analysis according to the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale (0-10). RESULTS: Three series of cases, two open non-controlled pilot studies and four randomised clinical trials (RCT) were selected. Only the RCT met acceptable quality criteria. The aetiology of the neuropathic pain was different in each of the RCT analysed. Levetiracetam proved to be effective in the treatment of neuropathic pain in the studies with a low level of methodological quality (case series and pilot studies) and in one RCT aimed at patients with central neuropathic pain due to multiple sclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Few clinical trials with a high level of methodological quality have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of levetiracetam in the treatment of neuropathic pain and most of those that have been carried out do not show any benefit in comparison to the use of a placebo.

Eficacia del levetiracetam en el tratamiento del dolor neuropático / The effectiveness of levetiracetam in the treatment of neuropathic pain

Introducción. El tratamiento farmacológico es la primera opción que se debe considerar en el tratamiento del dolor neuropático, en el que los antiepilépticos ocupan un lugar destacado. El levetiracetam es un antiepiléptico de última generación que ha mostrado actividad antinociceptiva en modelos experimentales de dolor y eficacia clínica analgésica en series de pacientes con dolor neuropático. Objetivo. Analizar la eficacia analgésica del levetiracetam en el tratamiento del dolor neuropático mediante una revisión sistemática de la bibliografía.Pacientes y métodos. Se ha utilizado la base de datos Medline/PubMed. Los criterios de búsqueda reunieron tres elementos fundamentales: levetiracetam, dolor neuropático y pacientes. Se han identificado los estudios hasta el 31 de enero de 2011. Los estudios seleccionados se sometieron a un análisis de calidad según la escala Physiotherapy Evidence Database (0-10). Resultados. Se seleccionaron tres series de casos, dos estudios pilotos abiertos y no controlados y cuatro ensayos clínicos aleatorizados (ECA). Sólo los ECA reunieron criterios de calidad aceptables. La etiología del dolor neuropático era diferente en los distintos ECA analizados. El levetiracetam mostró eficacia en el tratamiento del dolor neuropático en los estudios con calidad metodológica baja (series de casos y estudios pilotos) y en un ECA dirigido a pacientes con dolor neuropático central debido a esclerosis múltiple. onclusiones. Hay escasos ensayos clínicos de calidad metodológica alta que evalúen la eficacia del levetiracetam en el tratamiento del dolor neuropático y la mayoría de ellos no demuestra beneficio en relación con el placebo (AU)

Introduction. Pharmacological treatment is the first that should be taken into account in dealing with neuropathic pain, antiepileptic drugs being one of the leading options. Levetiracetam is a state of the art antiepileptic drug that has displayed antinociceptive activity in experimental models of pain and clinical effectiveness as an analgesic in series of patients with neuropathic pain. Aim. To analyse the effectiveness of levetiracetam as an analgesic in the treatment of neuropathic pain by means of a systematic review of the literature. Patients and methods. The Medline/PubMed database was used in the study and the search criteria included three fundamental elements: levetiracetam, neuropathic pain and patients. The studies identified were those published before 31st January 2011. The selected studies were submitted to a quality analysis according to the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale (0-10). Results. Three series of cases, two open non-controlled pilot studies and four randomised clinical trials (RCT) were selected. Only the RCT met acceptable quality criteria. The aetiology of the neuropathic pain was different in each of the RCT analysed. Levetiracetam proved to be effective in the treatment of neuropathic pain in the studies with a low level of methodological quality (case series and pilot studies) and in one RCT aimed at patients with central neuropathic pain dueto multiple sclerosis. Conclusions. Few clinical trials with a high level of methodological quality have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of levetiracetam in the treatment of neuropathic pain and most of those that have been carried out do not show any benefit in comparison to the use of a placebo (AU)