A Case of Subacute Encephalopathy Developing After Treatment With Clofarabine and Methotrexate That Resolved With Corticosteroids. (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tzachanis, Dimitrios; Haider, Mintallah; Papazisis, Georgios
• Is Part Of: American journal of therapeutics. Volume 23:Number 3(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: acute undifferentiated leukemia -- cerebrovascular -- chemotherapy -- corticosteroids -- methotrexate -- clofarabine -- subacute encephalopathy -- stroke -- capillary leak syndrome; Chemotherapy -- Periodicals; Pharmacology -- Periodicals; 615.58
• DOI: 10.1097/MJT.0000000000000091
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1075-2765

Abstract

Abstract : This is the case of a 24-year-old woman with relapsed acute undifferentiated leukemia who developed subacute encephalopathy with hemiparesis and dysarthria after treatment with high dose and intrathecal methotrexate, clofarabine, and cytarabine that resolved rapidly and completely after the administration of corticosteroids. We hypothesize that clofarabine might predispose to methotrexate-induced central nervous system toxicity by increasing endothelial permeability (capillary leak syndrome) and suggest that corticosteroids are effective in the treatment of this type of encephalopathy.