Uncontrollable Seizures in an Epileptic

Abstract

A case of possible phenytoin-induced systemic lupus erythematosus is presented in a patient with a twenty-year history of epilepsy. The failure of seizure control in the presence of adequate anticonvulsant blood levels pointed to an underlying disease state. Drug-induced and idiopathic systemic lupus erythematosus are quite similar in clinical and laboratory manifestations. However, antibodies to native (double-stranded)-DNA seem to be consistent with the idiopathic form. A review of drug-induced systemic lupus erythematosus is presented.