Background
Neurotoxicity refers to the ability to induce adverse effects in the central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nerves, or sensory organs.1 Neurological adverse events induced by beta-lactams were first described in 1945 after the intraventricular administration of penicillin G.5 Drug induced neurotoxicity carries a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from confusion, encephalopathy and hallucinations to myoclonus, convulsions and non-convulsive status epilepticus which can be life threatening.1 Encephalopathy is a type of neurotoxicity that is defined as “a diffuse disease of the brain that alters brain function or structure and is characterized by an altered mental state with additional symptoms including progressive loss of memory and cognitive ability, personality changes, myoclonus, nystagmus, tremor, and seizures”.2
In recent years, beta-lactams adverse effects on the CNS have become more widely recognized. Overexposure and high plasma concentrations of these antibiotics due to unadjusted dosing in renally impaired patients have been frequently implicated in neurological side effects.6,7 We report a patient with normal renal function who developed beta-lactam induced encephalopathy requiring ICU admission with complete recovery of her symptoms after discontinuing the causative drug.