Riluzole for treatment of ALS

PubMed, the internet portal of biomedical and life sciences literature, indexed a review on “The tolerability of riluzole in the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis“ (Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2004 Nov;3(6):525-34). Authors are Bensimon G and Doble A from Hopital de la Pitie-Salpetriere, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris et Universite, Paris, France. Riluzole is the only disease-modifying drug approved for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The overall tolerability of riluzole is good and the drug can be used in all patients with ALS except those with elevated transaminase levels or active liver disease. The most frequently encountered adverse events that appear to be attributed to riluzole are asthenia and nausea. The most important potential safety issue with riluzole is hepatic impact with elevations of transaminases. Strict monitoring of liver enzymes is recommended in patients with ALS taking riluzole, and treatment is contraindicated in subjects with elevated transaminases before the start of treatment. There is a suspicion that riluzole may, in rare cases, cause neutropenia, and physicians should be vigilant towards this risk. To access the full abstract of the review, click here.