We describe the case of an 84-year-old woman who developed a confusional state and suffered from a generalized tonic-clonic seizure while she was treated with imipenem, a β-lactam antibiotic. Focal and generalized epileptiform discharges and a photoparoxysmal response were prominent with transient changes on the EEC.
BrothertonTJKelberRL. Seizure-like activity associated with imipenem. Clin Pharm1984;3:536–540.
2.
TseCSTHernandez-VeraFDesaiDV. Seizure-like activity associated with imipenem-cilastatin. Drug Intell Clin Pharm1987;21:659–660.
3.
JobMLDretlerRH. Seizure activity with imipenem therapy: Incidence and risk factors. DICP Ann Pharmacother1990;24:467–469.
4.
LeoRJBallowCH. Seizure activity associated with imipenem use: Clinical case reports and review of the literature. DICP Ann Pharmacother1991;25:351–354.
DupuisACouetWPaquereauJDebarreSPortronAJamoisCBouquetS.Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of the electroencephalogram effect of imipenem in healthy rats. Antimicrob Agents Chemother2001;45:1682–1687.
7.
WilsonJXYoungB.Sepsis-associated encephalopathy: Evolving concepts. Can J Neurol Sci2003; 30; 98–105.
8.
Kasteleijn-NolstDGA TrenitéGuerriniRBinnieCDGentonP.Visual sensitivity and epilepsy: A proposed terminology and classification for clinical and EEG phenomenology. Epilepsia2001;42:692–701.