Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Brief Clinical Note

Allergic skin rashes by methylprednisolone in a case with multiple sclerosis

Atsushi Kuga, M.D., Naonobu Futamura, M.D., Itaru Funakawa, M.D. and Kenji Jinnai, M.D.

Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Hyogo Chuo National Hospital

We reported a 34-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis showing an allergic reaction to methylprednisolone sodium succinate. She was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of hypesthesia in the right side of the face and body. MRI showed several high signal intensity lesions in her brain with Gd-DTPA enhancement effect. She was diagnosed as having an acute relapse of MS from previous episodes and clinical findings. We started a methylprednisolone pulse therapy. After the injection on the first day, skin rashes appeared on her trunk and thigh. On the second day, the skin rashes spread over her whole body. Patch test for methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MP) was positive. The steroid administration was substituted by intravenous injections of betamethasone 100 mg/day for three days. Her neurological and radiological findings were successfully disappeared without any side effects. This case indicates the efficacy of substitution therapy of betamethasone for MP.

(CLINICA NEUROL, 44: 691|694, 2004)
key words: multiple sclerosis, drug allergy, methylprednisolone, betamethasone

(Received: 27-Feb-04)