PURPOSE: To describe a patient with symptomatic Heimann-Bielschowsky phenomenon (HBP) treated successfully with oral gabapentin. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 57-year-old patient with retinitis pigmentosa had a 12-month history of vertical oscillopsia. The right visual acuity was 20/200 and the left visual acuity was 20/60 with glasses. He had a coarse, slow, pendular, vertical movement of the right eye consistent with Heimann-Bielschowsky phenomenon. His treatment commenced with oral gabapentin with gradual increase in dose to 2400 mg/d. Eye movement recordings were performed before and after treatment. RESULTS: He became considerably less symptomatic on gabapentin. The right visual acuity improved to 20/80 with glasses. Eye movement recordings confirmed markedly reduced vertical oscillations of the right eye. The patient continues on gabapentin with no side effects and sustained effect. CONCLUSIONS: The vertical nystagmoid movement in HBP can be considerably reduced and symptoms remarkably improved when treated with oral gabapentin.
PURPOSE: To describe a patient with symptomatic Heimann-Bielschowsky phenomenon (HBP) treated successfully with oral gabapentin. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 57-year-old patient with retinitis pigmentosa had a 12-month history of vertical oscillopsia. The right visual acuity was 20/200 and the left visual acuity was 20/60 with glasses. He had a coarse, slow, pendular, vertical movement of the right eye consistent with Heimann-Bielschowsky phenomenon. His treatment commenced with oral gabapentin with gradual increase in dose to 2400 mg/d. Eye movement recordings were performed before and after treatment. RESULTS: He became considerably less symptomatic on gabapentin. The right visual acuity improved to 20/80 with glasses. Eye movement recordings confirmed markedly reduced vertical oscillations of the right eye. The patient continues on gabapentin with no side effects and sustained effect. CONCLUSIONS: The vertical nystagmoid movement in HBP can be considerably reduced and symptoms remarkably improved when treated with oral gabapentin.
Authors: Rosalyn M Schneider; Matthew J Thurtell; Sylvia Eisele; Norah Lincoff; Elisa Bala; R John Leigh Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-02-18 Impact factor: 3.240