Carbamazepine
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Reactions 468 - 11 Sep 1993 Carbamazepine Tonic-clonic seizures in infants: 2 case reports The development of tonic-clonic seizures in 2 infants, a girl aged 2 years and a boy aged 14 months, was believed to be caused by carbamazepine used to treat alternating hemiconvulsions. At the time when tonic-clonic seizures first occurred, the blood carbamazepine levels were 8 µg/ml in the girl and 5.7 µg/ml in the boy [doses not given]. The girl began carbamazepine therapy at 4 months of age, and the boy had been receiving carbamazepine for 2 weeks before the development of tonic-clonic seizures. In both infants, discontinuation of carbamazepine led to a prompt resolution of tonic-clonic seizures and burst- suppression patterns on the EEG. Carbamazepine was later reintroduced in the girl, and tonic-clonic seizures recurred within 3 days. Author comment: ‘CBZ [carbamazepine] rarely induces or exacerbates seizures in adolescents, children, or older infants, but there has been no report of drug-induced tonic spasms in young infants. . . Considering the grave prognostic significance of tonic spasms in early infancy, we should be aware of this rare but potentially damaging side effect of CBZ.’ Mutoh K, et al. Induction of tonic spasms by carbamazepine: observations on 2 infants. Japanese Journal of Psychiatry and Neurology 47: 304-305, Jun 1993 - Japan 800217932 1 Reactions 11 Sep 1993 No. 468 0114-9954/10/0468-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved
Transcript of Carbamazepine
Reactions 468 - 11 Sep 1993
Carbamazepine
Tonic-clonic seizures in infants: 2 case reportsThe development of tonic-clonic seizures in 2 infants, a girl
aged 2 years and a boy aged 14 months, was believed to becaused by carbamazepine used to treat alternatinghemiconvulsions.
At the time when tonic-clonic seizures first occurred, theblood carbamazepine levels were 8 µg/ml in the girl and 5.7µg/ml in the boy [doses not given]. The girl begancarbamazepine therapy at 4 months of age, and the boy hadbeen receiving carbamazepine for 2 weeks before thedevelopment of tonic-clonic seizures.
In both infants, discontinuation of carbamazepine led to aprompt resolution of tonic-clonic seizures and burst-suppression patterns on the EEG. Carbamazepine was laterreintroduced in the girl, and tonic-clonic seizures recurredwithin 3 days.
Author comment: ‘CBZ [carbamazepine] rarely induces orexacerbates seizures in adolescents, children, or older infants,but there has been no report of drug-induced tonic spasms inyoung infants. . . Considering the grave prognostic significanceof tonic spasms in early infancy, we should be aware of this rarebut potentially damaging side effect of CBZ.’Mutoh K, et al. Induction of tonic spasms by carbamazepine: observations on 2infants. Japanese Journal of Psychiatry and Neurology 47: 304-305, Jun 1993 -Japan 800217932
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Reactions 11 Sep 1993 No. 4680114-9954/10/0468-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved
