Levetiracetam-induced systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a rare autoimmune disorder in a physician's practice, commonly presenting in young females. It is rare for SLE to present at a late age. Though SLE is idiopathic, sometimes it can present as an adverse reaction to drugs. Quite a few drugs are implicated in this process. However, there are no reports of levetiracetam causing SLE. Here, we present a case of 62-year-old female presenting with SLE after consumption of levetiracetam for 1 year for her epilepsy. Erythematosus rash was her main symptom. This was associated with a strong positivity of antinuclear antibody. The symptoms remitted completely after the discontinuation of levetiracetam, suggesting them to be because of drug-induced lupus (DIL). DIL differs from SLE in being mild, affecting atypical age groups and resolving completely on withdrawal of the drug.

Keywords: adverse drug reaction; antiepileptic; drug-induced lupus; levetiracetam; systemic lupus erythematosus.