2018 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 96-101
Montelukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA), is widely used alone or in combination with inhaled corticosteroids in treating bronchial asthma. LTRA is considered a drug with fewer side effects. However, parasomnias, including sleepwalking, sleep talking, and other neuropsychiatric symptoms, are mentioned as the side effects in the medical package insert of a LTRA, montelukast, although the incidence is very low. We encountered a case of a 7-year-old boy who has been monitored for food allergy for 2 years and sleepwalked after taking montelukast. He visited our outpatient clinic with a complaint of prolonged severe dry cough before dawn in September. Our clinical diagnosis was bronchial asthma based on his allergic history, sensitization to environmental allergens, and characteristics of cough, and montelukast was subsequently prescribed. A day after starting montelukast administration, a strange behavior similar to somnambulism was observed for the next 2 days. After stopping montelukast intake based on our instruction, the behavior disappeared. Therefore, somnambulism-like behavior was likely associated with montelukast. Although few previous cases have been reported parasomnia after taking montelukast, neuropsychiatric adverse effects should be noted when prescribing montelukast for the first time.
