Gabapentin-induced Neutropenia: A case report.

, Lee, Peter KW; , Jung, June Yong; , Park, Sung Min; , Kim, Eun Jin

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2003;27(4):622-625.

Lee, Peter KW , Jung, June Yong , Park, Sung Min , Kim, Eun Jin

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Korea. puffy2@samsung.co.kr

Abstract

Gabapentin, a novel anti-convulsant, is recently used to manage symptomatic treatment of neuropathic pain. Gabapentin is known to have few side effect profiles such as drowsiness, dizziness, somnolence, and nausea. We experienced a case of neutropenia associated with gabapentin. A 74-year-old man was hospitalized because of left side weakness caused by acute thalamocortical infarction. He complained of tingling sen- sation, aching pain, and dysesthesia on his left side. We prescribed gabapentin to manage his symptoms. Fever developed at 22 days of gabapentin therapy and peripheral blood examination revealed neutropenia. At 2 days after stopping gabapentin, neutrophil counts started to revert.

Key Words: Gabapentin, Neutropenia, Neuropathic pain