SIALADENITIS FOLLOWING TREATMENT WITH α‐METHYLDOPA

Three cases of sialadenitis following treatment with L‐α‐methyldopa are described. Swelling of the salivary glands was accompanied by a raised temperature and in two cases also by a feeling of nasal congestion and pharyngitis. In two of the patients, who had taken the drug only occasionally, the swelling occurred within 48 hours after the last intake. Besides parotid pain, a later provocation in one of them resulted in an exanthema of the type seen in LED. She had a marked increase of IgG in serum. In the third patient, who had taken the drug regularly for 1 month, swelling of one parotid was not observed until 11 days after withdrawal of the drug. In two of the patients the serum concentration of amylase was raised and analysis of the isoenzymes showed that the increase was due to salivary gland amylase.