Chlorpromazine-induced lupus with circulating anticoagulant. A case report

The drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DILE) is an autoimmune disorder caused by chronic use of certain drugs, including chlorpromazine. Chlorpromazine-induced lupus associated to circulating anticoagulant antibodies (CAC) would be even less frequent. Our observation is an illustration of this association. We report the case of Mrs. H., 33-year-old, without medical or surgical history, who has been followed in psychiatry since the age of 20 for bipolar disorder type 1. This patient was initially stabilized by an association of fluphenazine, sodium valproate and levomepromazine. The introduction of chlorpromazine in June 2015 induced a leuconeutropenia, which was corrected after stopping this drug. During subsequent decompensations, rechallenge with chlorpromazine and administration of other phenothiazines (levomepromazine, fluphenazine) or atypical anti-psychotics (olanzapine, risperidone, aripiprazole) induced a leuconeutropenia reversible after drug withdrawal. Within the etiological investigation of this leuconeutropenia, physical examination was normal; inflammatory tests (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum protein electrophoresis) and serology for hepatitis B and C and HIV were negative; antinuclear antibodies (ANA) titre was positive (1: 160) with a negative antibodies screen; rheumatoid factor and complement levels were normal. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was prolonged (47/29 s) and not corrected by addition of normal plasma. Lupus anticoagulant antibodies were positive. ANA became negative six months after cessation of implicated drugs. Thus, the diagnosis of “chlorpromazine-induced lupus with CAC” was retained. The pathophysiological mechanism of this association remains a subject of discussion. This induced autoimmunity, involving several anti-psychotics, is a real therapeutic challenge in our patient's case.