Bupropion Overdose Presenting as Status Epilepticus in an Infant. 2015

Marianna S Rivas-Coppola, and Amy L Patterson, and Robin Morgan, and James W Wheless
Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Neuroscience Institute, Memphis Tennessee.

BACKGROUND Bupropion is a monocyclic antidepressant in the aminoketone class, structurally related to amphetamines. The Food and Drug Administration withdrew this product from the market in 1986 after seizures were reported in bulimic patients. It was later reintroduced in 1989 when the incidence of seizures was shown to be dose-related in the immediate release preparation. Massive bupropion ingestion has been associated with status epilepticus and cardiogenic shock in adults. Seizures have been reported in children, but not status epilepticus. This report highlights a patient who presented with status epilepticus and developed cardiopulmonary arrest after bupropion ingestion. False-positive amphetamine diagnosis from urine drug screen on presentation was reported. METHODS We review the presentation, clinical course, diagnostic studies, and outcome of this patient. We then review the literature regarding bupropion overdose in children. RESULTS Symptoms of bupropion toxicity and risk for seizures are dose-dependent and fatalities have been reported. Our patient developed status epilepticus and cardiopulmonary arrest and then progressed to have a hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and refractory symptomatic partial seizures. CONCLUSIONS Our report highlights the need to keep this medication away from children in order to prevent accidental overdose.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013226 Status Epilepticus A prolonged seizure or seizures repeated frequently enough to prevent recovery between episodes occurring over a period of 20-30 minutes. The most common subtype is generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus, a potentially fatal condition associated with neuronal injury and respiratory and metabolic dysfunction. Nonconvulsive forms include petit mal status and complex partial status, which may manifest as behavioral disturbances. Simple partial status epilepticus consists of persistent motor, sensory, or autonomic seizures that do not impair cognition (see also EPILEPSIA PARTIALIS CONTINUA). Subclinical status epilepticus generally refers to seizures occurring in an unresponsive or comatose individual in the absence of overt signs of seizure activity. (From N Engl J Med 1998 Apr 2;338(14):970-6; Neurologia 1997 Dec;12 Suppl 6:25-30) Absence Status,Complex Partial Status Epilepticus,Generalized Convulsive Status Epilepticus,Non-Convulsive Status Epilepticus,Petit Mal Status,Simple Partial Status Epilepticus,Grand Mal Status Epilepticus,Status Epilepticus, Complex Partial,Status Epilepticus, Electrographic,Status Epilepticus, Generalized,Status Epilepticus, Generalized Convulsive,Status Epilepticus, Grand Mal,Status Epilepticus, Non-Convulsive,Status Epilepticus, Simple Partial,Status Epilepticus, Subclinical,Electrographic Status Epilepticus,Generalized Status Epilepticus,Non Convulsive Status Epilepticus,Status Epilepticus, Non Convulsive,Status, Absence,Status, Petit Mal,Subclinical Status Epilepticus
D016642 Bupropion A propiophenone-derived antidepressant and antismoking agent that inhibits the uptake of DOPAMINE. (+-)-1-(3-Chlorophenyl)-2-((1,1-dimethylethyl)amino)-1-propanone,Amfebutamone,Bupropion Hydrochloride,Bupropion Hydrochloride, (+-)-Isomer,Bupropion, (+-)-Isomer,Quomen,Wellbutrin,Zyban (Anti-Smoking),Zyban (Bupropion),Zyntabac
D018687 Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation A structurally and mechanistically diverse group of drugs that are not tricyclics or monoamine oxidase inhibitors. The most clinically important appear to act selectively on serotonergic systems, especially by inhibiting serotonin reuptake. Antidepressants, Atypical,Atypical Antidepressants,Second-Generation Antidepressive Agents,Antidepressive Drugs, Second-Generation,Agents, Second-Generation Antidepressive,Antidepressive Agents, Second Generation,Antidepressive Drugs, Second Generation,Drugs, Second-Generation Antidepressive,Second Generation Antidepressive Agents,Second-Generation Antidepressive Drugs
D062787 Drug Overdose Accidental or deliberate use of a medication or street drug in excess of normal dosage. Drug Overdoses,Overdose, Drug,Overdoses, Drug

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