Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome associated with anastrozole: an unusual cause of high impact
*Correspondencia: Andrés Ricaurte Fajardo. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Carrera 7, n.º 40-62. Bogotá, Colombia.
E-mail: andres.ricaurte@javeriana.edu.co
Introduction: Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is a low incidence disability with a multifactorial etiology and a wide array of symptoms. The main symptom is a thunderclap headache, accompanied sometimes with various neurological deficits that can lead to death. RCVS is usually diagnosed through radiological imaging technology. The treatment includes adopting general measures of monitoring, symptomatic management, identifying the etiology and acting on it to avoid recurrence.
Case report: A 71-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer originally treated with tamoxifen. Due to urticaria, the anastrozole management was staggered. She was admitted for aphasia, drowsiness and a thunderclap headache. The patient reported a similar event two weeks prior admission. In brain resonance, there was evidence of small sub-arachnoidal haemorrhage (SAH) of the left parietal temporal convexity and cerebral angiography. As well as documented vasospasm in the posterior parietal region confirming the diagnosis of RCVS plus SAH. During the stay, she presented three events with the same characteristics, requiring intensive monitoring and two therapeutic panangiographies with intra-arterial nimodipine with subsequent resolution of the vessel spasm. The patient remains asymptomatic six months later.
Conclusion: RCVS is difficult to diagnose given its wide array of symptoms and multifactorial etiology. In this case, RCVS plus SAH is associated with the use of anastrozole. So far there are no reported cases of aromatase inhibitors associated with this pathology and should be reported in the literature for pharmacovigilance.
Caso clínico Mujer de 71 años con antecedente de cáncer de seno, tratada inicialmente con tamoxifeno; por presentar urticaria, se escalonó tratamiento con anastrozol. Ingresó por cefalea de tipo trueno, afasia anterior y somnolencia. La paciente refirió un evento similar una semana antes del ingreso. En la resonancia magnética cerebral evidenció una hemorragia subaracnoidea (HSA) pequeña de la convexidad temporoparietal izquierda, y la panangiografía documentó vasoespasmo en la región parietal posterior, lo que confirmó el diagnóstico de SVCR más HSA. Durante el ingreso presentó tres eventos de iguales características, que requirieron monitorización intensiva y dos panangiografías terapéuticas con nimodipino intraarterial, con posterior resolución del vasoespasmo. Permanece asintomática seis meses después.
Conclusión El SVCR constituye un reto diagnóstico dada su presentación variable y su etiología multifactorial. En este caso, el SVCR más HSA está asociado al uso de anastrozol. Hasta el momento no hay casos descritos de inhibidores de la aromatasa asociados a esta patología, que debe comunicarse para su farmacovigilancia.