Sulfasalazine-induced Reversible Leukoencephalopathy

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 28(3); 2010 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2010;28(3): 218-221.

Sulfasalazine에 의한 가역적 백색질뇌병증

손성연, 임태성 김동훈 이성준 최문희 김현아 a 문소영

아주대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실, 아주대학교 의과대학 알레르기류마티스내과학교실 a

Sulfasalazine-induced Reversible Leukoencephalopathy

Sung-Yeon Sohn

Department of Neurology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Department of Allergy and Rheumatology a , Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea

Abstract

A 50-year-old woman presented with a 4-day history of apathy, perseveration, and confusion. These symptoms appeared 16 days after she had started taking sulfasalazine for rheumatoid arthritis. Brain MRI showed bilateral symmetrical discoid lesions involving the corona radiata. She fully recovered 7?days after stopping the medications. Follow-up brain MRI revealed remarkable improvement of the lesions. The pathomechanisms related to sulfasalazine- induced leukoencephalopathy may be demyelinating processes due to impaired T-cell-mediated immunity. Key Words: Sulfasalazine, Reversible leukoencephalopathy, White-matter diseases