Session Information
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Session Title: Drug-Induced Movement Disorders
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Agora 2 West, Level 2
Objective: This study evaluated pregabalin- or gabapentin-induced negative myoclonus according to renal function.
Background: Gabapentin and pregabalin are commonly used to control neuropathic pain and epilepsy. Myoclonus is a jerky, brief, and sudden interruption of voluntary muscle contraction, can be caused by anoxic brain injury, focal brain lesions, medications, metabolic etiology, and infection. Although gabapentin and pregabalin have been reported to induce positive myoclonus in some patients with impaired renal function, there are only a few studies describing pregabalin- or gabapentin-induced negative myoclonus.
Method: This study evaluated the patients with negative myoclonus who were referred to the department of neurology at a university-affiliated hospital and selected pregabalin- or gabapentin-induced negative myoclonus. Then reviewed the literature with respect to negative myoclonus.
Results: There were patients with negative myoclonus with or without renal dysfunction in this study. Among them, the neuropathic pain patients (27.3%) who were prescribed and developed negative myoclonus induced by pregabalin (11.7%) or gabapentin (15.6%). The patients with impaired renal function were 14.3%, while the patients with normal renal function were 85.7%. There have been previous case reports of pregabalin- and gabapentin-induced negative myoclonus.
Conclusion: Pregabalin- and gabapentin-induced negative myoclonus can develop even in patients with normal renal function. Physicians should keep in mind the possibility of patients developing negative myoclonus under treatment of pregabalin or gabapentin even in short period of time and with low dosage, and in the normal range of renal function.
References: Healy DG, et al. Pregabalin- and gabapentin-associated myoclonus in a patient with chronic renal failure. Mov Disord 2009; 24: 2028-9.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
DY. Kwon, MH. Park. Regardless of impaired renal function, negative myoclonus can be induced by gabapetin and pregabalin [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2019; 34 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/regardless-of-impaired-renal-function-negative-myoclonus-can-be-induced-by-gabapetin-and-pregabalin/. Accessed June 14, 2025.« Back to 2019 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/regardless-of-impaired-renal-function-negative-myoclonus-can-be-induced-by-gabapetin-and-pregabalin/