Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gynecomastia in epileptics treated with phenobarbital, phenytoin and fluoresone: Two case reports

  • Case Reports
  • Published:
The Italian Journal of Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gynecomastia developed in two epileptic patients some months after the addition of oral fluoresone 750 mg daily to the phenobarbital and phenytoin already being administered. The common systemic diseases that may give rise to gynecomastia were excluded. One of the patients presented hyperprolactinemia and a raised estrogen/androgen ratio but the hormone levels were not raised in the other. The onset of symptoms after fluoresone in both cases is highly suggestive, although the pathogenetic mechanism is not clear.

Sommario

Una ginecomastia insorta in due epilettici viene riportata. Il quadro si è sviluppato alcuni mesi dopo che ad un precedente trattamento con PB e PHT si era aggiunto fluoresone alla dose di 750 mg/die per os. Le comuni malattie sistemiche che possono determinare una ginecomastia sono state escluse. I rilievi ormonali hanno evidenziato soltanto in un caso un'iperprolattinemia ed un aumento del rapporto estrogeni-androgeni circolanti.

La relazione temporale fra somministrazione del fluoresone e comparsa del quadro appare cruciate, tuttavia il meccanismo patogenetico resta da chiarire.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Beck W.:Normoprolactinemia in boys with marked gynecomastia. Eur. J. Pediatr., 137, 41–44, 1981.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bergman D., Futterweit W., Segal R., Sirota D.:Increased oestradiol in diazepam related gynecomastia. Lancet,1, 12251226, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bonnuccelli U., Murialdo G., Scalori V., Murri L., Polleri A.:Livelli plasmatici di prolattina in soggetti trattati con fenobarbital. Riv. Ital. Neurofisiol. Clin., 1(1) 75–76, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Carlson H.E.:Gynecomastia. N. Engl. J. Med., 303, 795–799, 1980.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Delay J., Deniker P., Leyrie J., Conté C.:Utilisation en neuropsychiatrie de lapara-Fluoro-Phényl-Ethyl-Sulfone (Fluorésone). Neuropsychopharmacology, 3, 322–326, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Franks S., Jacobs H.S., Martin N., Nabarro J.D.:Hyperprolactinemia and impotence. Clin. Endocrinol., 8, 277–287, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  7. London D. R.:Hormonal effects of anticonvulsant drugs. In “Advances in Epileptology: XIth Epilepsy International Symposium” Canger R., Angeleri F., Penry J.J. (Eds), pp 399–405, Raven Press, N.Y., 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Maccagnani F.:Osservazioni cliniche ed elettroencefalografiche sull'azione di un nuovo farma-co antiepilettico: Il Caducid Wassermann (p-Fluorofeniletilsolfone). Riv. Neurol., 36, 437–442, 1966.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Toone B.K., Wheeler M., Fenwick P.B.:Sex hormone changes in male epileptics. Clin. Endocrinol., 12, 391–395, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Turkington R.W.:Serum prolactin levels in patients with gynecomastia. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 34, 62–66, 1972.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinica Neurologica II, Università di Firenze, Italia

    Rossi L., Bonuccelli U., Marcacci G., Bindi A., Scisciolo G. De & Arena R.

Authors
  1. Rossi L.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bonuccelli U.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marcacci G.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Bindi A.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Scisciolo G. De
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Arena R.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rossi, L., Bonuccelli, U., Marcacci, G. et al. Gynecomastia in epileptics treated with phenobarbital, phenytoin and fluoresone: Two case reports. Ital J Neuro Sci 4, 207–210 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02043907

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02043907

Key-words

Search

Navigation