Baclofen-induced Encephalopathy in Patients with End-stage Kidney Disease – A Case Series

Abstract

Introduction/Background: Baclofen is a centrally acting GABA B receptor agonist, widely used for the treatment of neurological diseases ranging from hiccups to multiple sclerosis. As the drug is mainly renally excreted, intoxication can rapidly develop in those patients with a reduced glomerular filtration rate. A strong index of clinical suspicion is essential to correctly diagnose the condition. Case Presentation: We report a case series of patients with advanced kidney disease and baclofen-induced encephalopathy that settled with discontinuation of the drug and hemodialysis sessions. Conclusion: We report this cluster of patients with baclofen toxicity to highlight the common occurrence of neurotoxicity after its use in patients with end-stage renal disease and its resolution after cessation of the drug and hemodialysis sessions.