Journal List > Korean J Gastroenterol > v.67(4) > 1007499

Song, Kim, Shin, Hong, Rim, Park, Lee, Lee, Oh, and Hwang: A Case of Severe Peripheral Polyneuropathy Occurring after Entecavir Treatment in a Hepatitis B Patient

Abstract

Entecavir (Baraclude) is an oral antiviral drug used for the treatment of HBV. Entecavir is a reverse transcriptase inhibitor which prevents the HBV from multiplying. Most common adverse reactions caused by entecavir are headache, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Until now, there has been no report of peripheral neuropathy as a side effect associated with entecavir treatment. Herein, we report a case of peripheral neuropathy which probably occurred after treatment with entecavir in a hepatitis B patient. The possibility of the occurrence of this side effect should be carefully taken into consideration when a patient takes a high dose of entecavir for a long period of time or has risk factors for neuropathy at the time of initiating entecavir therapy.

References

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Table 1.
Findings of Motor Nerve Conduction Study
  Latency (msec)
Amplitude (mV)
Left Right Left Right
Median nerve (ref.) ≤3.9 ≥6.0
 Wrist 15.2 a 15.8 a 2.60 a 2.45 a
 Elbow 20.3 a 20.7 a 2.55 a 2.21 a
 Axilla 22.3 a 22.1 a 2.45 a 2.04 a
Ulnar nerve (ref.) ≤3.0 ≥8.0
 Wrist 5.0 a 5.7 a 5.83 a 6.05 a
 Elbow 9.7 a 10.8 a 4.23 a 5.05 a
 Axilla 12.2 a 12.8 a 4.21 a 4.16 a
Peroneal nerve (ref.) ≤5.3 ≥1.5
 Ankle 19.4 a 15.3 a 0.78 a 1.60
 Fibula head 27.6 a 27.8 a 0.61 a 1.56
Tibial nerve (ref.) ≤5.4 ≥6.0
 Ankle 7.3 a 8.4 a 0.73 a 1.66 a
 Popliteal fossa 19.7 a 19.0 a 0.47 a 1.32 a

ref., reference.

a Abnormal findings.

Table 2.
Findings of Motor Nerve Conduction Velocity
  Conduction velocity (m/sec)
Left   Right
Median nerve (ref.)   ≥50.0  
 Wrist-elbow 44.1 a   46.9 a
 Elbow-axilla 47.5 a   71.4
Ulnar nerve (ref.)   ≥50.0  
 Wrist-elbow 44.6 a   45.0 a
 Elbow-axilla 36.0 a   47.5 a
Peroneal nerve (ref.)   ≥40.0  
 Ankle-fibula head 41.4   25.6 a
Tibial nerve (ref.)   ≥41.0  
 Ankle-popliteal fossa 29.4 a   34.9 a

ref., reference.

a Abnormal findings.

Table 3.
Findings of Sensory Nerve Conduction Study
Variable Amplitude (μ V)
Conduction velocity (m/sec)
Left Right Left Right
Median nerve (ref.) ≥9.0 ≥39.0
 Index-wrist NP a NP a NP a NP a
 Wrist-elbow 21.38 21.76 51.2 51.2
 Elbow-axilla 42.04 61.92 47.0 50.0
Ulnar nerve (ref.) ≥8.0 ≥38.0
 Short finger-wrist NP a NP a NP a NP a
 Wrist-elbow 22.53 21.31 47.3 47.5
 Elbow-axilla 43.80 78.45 54.7 53.1
Right superficial peroneal nerve (ref.) ≥8.0 ≥39.0
 Lower leg 3.71 a 5.324 a 35.2 a 32.4 a
Right sural nerve (ref.) ≥10.0 ≥32.0
 Lower leg 1.37 a 8.69 a 35.2 35.4

ref., reference; NP, no potential.

a Abnormal findings.

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