Generalized pruritus as an unusual side effect after epidural injection with dexamethasone.

Abstract

A 51-year-old man with lumbar radiculopathy underwent a right L5 transforaminal epidural steroid injection with dexamethasone. One minute after the injection, the patient experienced severe pruritus and burning, which began in the groin and then spread throughout his body. The symptoms resolved completely after 1 minute, and the patient was discharged without any complications. Although there are a small number of publications reporting perineal pruritus after intravenous administration of dexamethasone, to our knowledge there is no report of a generalized reaction to an epidural dexamethasone injection such as the one described here.

• Authors: Omar El Abd, Daniel Camargo Pimentel, João Eduardo Daud Amadera
• Journal: PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation (PM R) Vol. 7 Issue 2 Pg. 206-9 (Feb 2015) ISSN: 1934-1563 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25289843 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Glucocorticoids
• Dexamethasone

Topics

• Dexamethasone (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Glucocorticoids (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Humans
• Injections, Epidural
• Low Back Pain (drug therapy, etiology, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pruritus (chemically induced)