Pleural Effusion Associated with Chronic Dantrolene Administration

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of pleural effusion associated with chronic dantrolene administration. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Private, university-affiliated, teaching hospital. RESULTS: Twelve years after the initiation of low-dose dantrolene therapy for chronic spasticity, a 35-year-old man developed a pleural effusion with pleural and peripheral eosinophilia. This reaction gradually resolved over several months after discontinuation of the dantrolene therapy. CONCLUSIONS: In patients treated with chronic dantrolene therapy, the presence of pleural effusions should raise the suspicion of dantrolene-induced disease. Withdrawal of dantrolene therapy has generally been associated with an alleviation of signs and symptoms within several months.