A case of atypical absence seizures induced by leuprolide acetate

We report a case of a 13-year-old female with atypical absence seizures induced by prolonged administration of long-acting leuprolide acetate (LA). This patient had brain involvement resulting from chemotherapy and radiotherapy for a medulloblastoma. At 13 years of age, administration of long-acting LA was started. After the third dose of long-acting LA, atypical absence seizures appeared. After discontinuing long-acting LA, the seizures stopped without administration of any antiepileptic drugs. However, 2 years, 6 months later, the same seizures again appeared. On the basis of the findings of endocrinologic investigations and the reported data of pharmacokinetics of LA, we speculate that her seizures were induced by LA and that the seizures were associated with the presence of brain damage in the patient. Care should therefore be taken when using long-acting LA or other gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues for pediatric patients with diffuse brain damage.