ajmaline and Fever

A report is given on a patient in whom during treatment and prophylactic measures of paroxysmal tachycardias after intravenous application of ajmalin large attacks of fever with chills developed. The oral application evoked subfebrile temperatures and weakness. The drug-fever which was to be ascertained by exposition and omitting experiments was falsely explained for many years.

Topics: Ajmaline; Allergens; Diagnostic Errors; Drug Hypersensitivity; Fever; Haptens; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Shivering; Tachycardia

In two patients intrahepatic cholestasis and cholestatic liver disease probably due to N-propyl ajmaline were observed. In both cases there was a four-week-interval between the first ingestion of the drug and the onset of jaundice. In one case with rigors there was a temporary rise in temperature and cholestasis. In the other there was a two to three week prodromal period of pruritus and gastro-intestinal symptoms. Both cases were characterised by blood and pronounced tissue eosinophilia in the periportal zones, a marked increase of cholestatic and hepatic cell enzymes, serum bilirubin and cholesterol, a moderate increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate and absence of leucocytosis. Pathological laboratory findings returned to normal spontaneously within 5 weeks in one case and within two weeks under steroid therapy in the other.

Topics: Adult; Ajmaline; Biopsy; Cholestasis; Eosinophilia; Female; Fever; Humans; Liver; Male; Pruritus; Time Factors