Carbamazepine
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Reactions 482 - 18 Dec 1993 Carbamazepine Facial motor tics: 3 case reports Three boys, aged 5, 9 and 17 years, developed facial motor tics during carbamazepine therapy for complex partial seizures. These patients had no previous history of involuntary movement disorder or major neurological deficit. Symptoms including repetitive blinking, jaw opening or clenching, and tongue movements, began 2–6 weeks after carbamazepine was initiated at a dose of 5–10 mg/kg/day. In all 3 patients, the carbamazepine levels were in the therapeutic range. In the 9-year-old boy, the tics gradually improved over 4 months during continued therapy, but worsened again when the carbamazepine dosage was increased from 5 to 7.5 mg/kg/day. Carbamazepine was replaced with primidone and the tics resolved completely. In the other 2 patients, the tics resolved within several months during continued carbamazepine therapy at the same or a higher dosage. Author comment: ‘Development of motor tics in association with CBZ [carbamazepine] therapy is uncommon and has been reported in only 4 children; in all, CBZ appeared to have precipitated or exacerbated an underlying Tourette’s syndrome. The relatively mild and transient nature of CBZ- induced involuntary movements, even when CBZ is continued, suggests that if clinically warranted, it may be feasible to continue CBZ treatment.’ Robertson PL, et al. Carbamazepine-induced tics. Epilepsia 34: 965-968, Sep-Oct 1993 - USA 800224627 1 Reactions 18 Dec 1993 No. 482 0114-9954/10/0482-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved
Transcript of Carbamazepine
Reactions 482 - 18 Dec 1993
Carbamazepine
Facial motor tics: 3 case reportsThree boys, aged 5, 9 and 17 years, developed facial motor
tics during carbamazepine therapy for complex partialseizures. These patients had no previous history of involuntarymovement disorder or major neurological deficit.
Symptoms including repetitive blinking, jaw opening orclenching, and tongue movements, began 2–6 weeks aftercarbamazepine was initiated at a dose of 5–10 mg/kg/day. In all3 patients, the carbamazepine levels were in the therapeuticrange.
In the 9-year-old boy, the tics gradually improved over 4months during continued therapy, but worsened again whenthe carbamazepine dosage was increased from 5 to 7.5mg/kg/day. Carbamazepine was replaced with primidone andthe tics resolved completely. In the other 2 patients, the ticsresolved within several months during continuedcarbamazepine therapy at the same or a higher dosage.
Author comment: ‘Development of motor tics inassociation with CBZ [carbamazepine] therapy is uncommonand has been reported in only 4 children; in all, CBZ appearedto have precipitated or exacerbated an underlying Tourette’ssyndrome. The relatively mild and transient nature of CBZ-induced involuntary movements, even when CBZ is continued,suggests that if clinically warranted, it may be feasible tocontinue CBZ treatment.’Robertson PL, et al. Carbamazepine-induced tics. Epilepsia 34: 965-968, Sep-Oct1993 - USA 800224627
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Reactions 18 Dec 1993 No. 4820114-9954/10/0482-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved
