[leondas]

Has anybody taken flecainide for atrial fibrillation and found that it worsened symptoms, especially after several years of use? Any articles on this would be welcome. Thanks, leondas

[mrsD]

This is on PubMed:

Muscle Nerve. 2012 Jan;45(1):144-6. doi: 10.1002/mus.22239.
Skin biopsy-proven flecainide-induced neuropathy.
Burakgazi AZ, Polydefkis M, Höke A.
Source

Department of Neurology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Abstract

Flecainide acetate is a classic Ic antiarrhythmic agent used to treat a variety of cardiac arrhythmias. Non-cardiac side effects usually affect the central nervous system. Few case reports of possible flecainide-induced peripheral neuropathy have been reported. We report this unique case in that flecainide-induced sensory neuropathy was confirmed with skin biopsy, and subsequent improvement of neuropathy was documented with assessment of intraepidermal nerve fiber density in a repeat nerve biopsy.

Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID:
22190323
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

also:

Therapie. 1995 Sep-Oct;50(5):413-8.
Antiarrhythmic drug-induced side effects: a prospective survey of 300 patients.
Vigreux P, Lemozit JP, Delay M, Bernadet P, Montastruc JL.
Source

Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, Centre Midi-Pyrénées de Pharmacovigilance, de Pharmacoépidémiologie et d'Informations sur le Médicament, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Faculté de Médecine, Toulouse, France.
Abstract

The purpose of this study was to define the characteristics and the frequency of antiarrhythmic drug-induced side effects. All patients referred for cardiological consultation and treated with antiarrhythmic drugs between April 1992 and October 1993 were prospectively investigated. 300 patients were included in the study: 41 (13.6 per cent) had drug-induced side effects, nine of which were serious: 5 proarrhythmic effects, 1 pulmonary fibrosis, 1 peripheral neuropathy, and 2 acute cardiac failure. Side effects led to discontinuation of treatment in 26 cases (7.6 per cent). Statistical analysis showed that side effects occurred more commonly with disopyramide (46.1 per cent, P < 0.01) or propafenone (41.7 per cent, P < 0.05) and less frequently with sotalol (2 per cent, P < 0.01) than with the other drugs (flecainide 20 per cent; amiodarone 16.4 per cent; cibenzoline 4.8 per cent; hydroquinidine 4.3 per cent). Side effects were more common on bitherapy (39 per cent) than on monotherapy (13 per cent) in general and in the amiodarone-treated group in particular. In conclusion, side effects of antiarrhythmic drugs involved 1/6 patients overall and led to discontinuation of treatment in 1/14. The frequency of proarrhythmias (1.1 per cent) was lower than previously reported, suggesting that recently published clinical trials have modified the prescription habits.

PMID:
8571278
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Also 2 papers without abstracts, so I cannot copy those.

This drug is not used commonly, so reports reflect that use.
If it were more heavily used, we might see more reports therefore.