[Pseudolymphoma induced by carbamazepine. Apropos of 2 cases]

We present two pseudolymphoma occurring 8 days and 1 month after carbamazepine introduction. Both patients present fever, rash, generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly in the second case. Hematologic abnormalities included anemia, eosinophilia, hepatic cytolysis. Histologic evaluation of a lymph node biopsy specimen demonstrated near-total effacement of the nodal architecture mimicking a lymphoma. Gene rearrangement studies proved the benign nature of the proliferation. Carbamazepine-induced lymphoproliferative disorders are relatively rare with only 38 observations published. The pathogenesis is uncertain. Immune dysregulation is probable. Morphologic and immunophenotypic data must be completed by gene rearrangement studies. Corticoid therapy is useless. The evolution is favorable after the cessation of carbamazepine.