Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30927916›Full record

ArticleBMC neurology2019

A case of methylprednisolone treatment for metronidazole-induced encephalopathy.

Li Li, Xiaogang Tang, Wenlei Li, Seng Liang, Qing Zhu, Minghua Wu

Open access · goldAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in BMC neurology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Metronidazole-induced cerebellar dysfunction: An underdiagnosed identity.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Li LiDepartment of neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
Xiaogang TangDepartment of neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
Wenlei LiDepartment of neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
Seng LiangDepartment of neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
Qing ZhuDepartment of neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
Minghua WuDepartment of neurology, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China. mhuawu@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6701-8825
Jiangsu Province Hospital · CNNanjing University of Chinese Medicine · CN

Funding

333 high level talents training project in Jiangsu BRA 2016507
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMetronidazole, a common antimicrobial agent, can induce encephalopathy in rare cases. After discontinuing metronidazole, most patients show clinical improvement. However, in the face of deteriorating conditions, there have done not to have reports of effective drug treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: A 57-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to dysarthria and ataxic gait after taking metronidazole at the dose of about 32 g for 20 days. Neurological examination showed that his upward and outward movements of bilateral eyeballs were limited, and horizontal and vertical nystagmus were noted. The brain magnetic resonance imaging showed hyper-intensities in the bilateral cerebellar dentate nuclei, medulla oblongata, midbrain and red nuclei in T2W and FLAIR images. However, the patient's clinical symptoms worsened after drug cessation. High-dose intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy was applied, and this led to a drastic improvement of his symptoms and signs.

conclusionsIn our case, we suggest that early methylprednisolone intervention can prevent the progression of metronidazole-induced encephalopathy and accelerate neurological recovery. We infer that the progression of encephalopathy is related to the delayed toxicity caused by high dose or concentration of metronidazole.

Indexed as

Brain DiseasesDysarthriaGait AtaxiaHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMethylprednisoloneMetronidazoleMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeMethylprednisoloneMetronidazoleCerebellar dentate nucleiMethylprednisoloneMetronidazole-induced encephalopathy

Identifiers

PMID30927916
PMCPMC6441175
OpenAlexW2938430805

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.