Movement disorders secondary to long-term treatment with cyclosporine A

To analyze the prevalence, severity and functional interference of movement disorders (MD) secondary to chronic use of cyclosporine A (CsA).

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 60 patients (58.3% male) with mean age 23.1 (3-75) years, followed at the Bone Marrow Transplantation Service of the Hospital de Clínicas of the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil, taking CsA for at least six months. Our protocol included clinical data, assessment of functional interference of symptoms and neurological examination including observation and grading of MD.

Eight (13.3%) subjects reported the presence of tremor at the moment of interview and 29 (48.3%) recalled this symptom at some point during treatment. Neurological examination identified 14 (23.3%) subjects with MD: upper limb symmetric action tremor in 13 (21.6%) and parkinsonism (rigidity and bradykinesia) in 1 (1.7%). No other MD was detected. The mean scores indicated mild clinical signs in all cases. Symptoms were considered subjectively mild with no functional interference.

Almost one quarter of patients using CsA chronically presented MD, almost always mild and transitory action tremor, with minimal interference on daily living activities, not requiring any form of intervention in the majority of cases.