Reactions 1335 - 22 Jan 2011

Oxcarbazepine

Male infertility: case reportA man was found to be infertile while receiving treatment

with oxcarbazepine for epilepsy.After being diagnosed with mild to moderate epilepsy at

21 years of age, the man received oxcarbazepine, up to1500 mg/day [dosage information incomplete, route notstated]. After marrying at 29 years of age, he and his wifewere treated as an infertile couple. Upon examination, hewas found to have an altered sperm motility of 45%, areduced sperm count of 13 × 106/mL and 40% abnormalstructure. His levels of follicle-stimulating hormone,testosterone and luteinising hormone were lower thannormal.

As oxcarbazepine was suspected of causing the man’sinfertility, his medication was changed to lamotrigine.Three months after withdrawal of oxcarbazepine, his spermcount and motility had significantly improved and his levelsof sex hormones had normalised. After 5 months, he andhis wife successfully conceived a child.

Author comment: "[T]he complete reversal of spermaticalterations followed by successful conception suggests that[oxcarbazepine] was responsible for this individual’sinfertility."Calabro RS, et al. Oxcarbazepine-related male infertility. Epilepsy and Behavior19: 665, No. 4, Dec 2010. Available from: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.09.022 - Italy 803048305

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Reactions 22 Jan 2011 No. 13350114-9954/10/1335-0001/$14.95 © 2010 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved