Metronidazole-Induced Encephalopathy: A Case Report

Case Report

Austin J Neuropsychiatry & Cogn Sci. 2024; 4(1): 1006.

Metronidazole-Induced Encephalopathy: A Case Report

Khaled Saleh¹*; Ali Al-Zaazaai²

¹Assistant Prof of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Thamar Universi-ty, Yemen

²Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, PR, China

*Corresponding author: Khaled Saleh, Assistant Prof of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Thamar Universi-ty, Yemen. Email: alzaazaiali@yahoo.com

Received: September 20, 2024 Accepted: October 09, 2024 Published: October 16, 2024

Introduction

Metronidazole is a widely used drug in day-to-day gastroenterology practice. It is prescribed for conditions like Crohn’s disease, intra-abdominal abscess, infection with Helicobacter pylori, hepatic encephalopathy, and Recurrent Pyogenic Cholangitis (RPC) [1]. Metronidazole is fairly safe and well tolerated but can induce toxicity of the central nervous system, which is also referred to as metronidazole-induced encephalopathy [2]. Three types of symptoms have been reported: seizures, cerebellar dysfunction, and acute changes in mental status. These symptoms can develop alone or in combination [2]. Brain MRI on T2-weighted FLAIR images reveal abnormalities, most commonly within the cerebellar dentate nuclei and corpus callosum. The third cerebral ventricle was sandwiched by bilateral cerebellar dentate nuclei, taking the form of a “chestnut.” The abnormality within the cerebellar dentate nuclei has thus been termed the “Chestnut Sign” in Japan, where several cases of metronidazole-induced encephalopathy have been reported [3].

Case Report

A 50-year-old male patient presented with progressively worsening difficulty in talking, imbalance during walking, mental confusion, headache, and weakness over the past 3 days

The patient had a known case of decompensated alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver with ascites, portal hypertension, and a history of recurrent hepatic encephalopathy.

At the presentation, his medical history showed that he had been using metronidazole (500 mg three times daily) for more than a year. On examination, he was inicteric and afebrile. The patient was drowsy with mild mental confusion but was easily arousable and oriented in time, place, and person.

Neurologic examination revealed dysarthria, bilateral horizontal gaze nystagmus, positive Romberg's sign, positive bilateral finger nose test, wide base stance and gait, and impaired tandem walking suggestive of cerebellar-type ataxia. Asterixis was absent. Laboratory parameters on admission were normal.

Citation: Saleh K, Al-Zaazaai A. Metronidazole-Induced Encephalopathy: A Case Report. Austin J Neuropsychiatry & Cogn Sci. 2024; 4(1): 1006.