[Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome associated with carbamazepine-induced hypertension]

A 21-year-old man developed idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia, and was admitted to our hospital. Although neuralgia was promptly resolved after oral carbamazepine (CBZ) administration, he developed arterial hypertension (from 110/60 mmHg to 170/126 mmHg) followed by consciousness disturbance several days after the initiation of carbamazepine. MRI T2-weighted, FLAIR and ADC images demonstrated transient hyperintense lesions of the bilateral fronto-parieto-occipital subcortical white matter. These lesions showed isointensity on diffusion-weighted images. Since these alterations suggested the presence of vasogenic edema induced by hypertension, we diagnosed him as having reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) induced by hypertension. Persistent hypertension despite the administration of various anti-hypertension drugs finally improved after oral CBZ therapy was discontinued. Therefore, we considered that hypertension was induced by oral CBZ therapy. This is a rare case in which high blood pressure was caused by CBZ. There is no previous report of RPLS induced by CBZ administration. Further investigation to determine whether CBZ is capable of causing arterial hypertension is warranted.