Reactions 957 - 28 Jun 2003

Carbamazepine/vigabatrin

Absence seizures in children: 3 case reportsThree children developed de novo absence seizures

following administration of carbamazepine or vigabatrin[dosages not stated] for epilepsy.

The first child, a 7-year-old boy, received carbamazepineduring a generalized tonic-clonic convulsion. The seizuresubsided, but 4 months later he experienced frequent vacantepisodes lasting 2–3 seconds each. Hyperventilation alsoinduced a vacant episode lasting 10–20 seconds.Carbamazepine was tapered and valproic acid was graduallyincreased, and he remained seizure-free for > 5 years.

The second child was a 6-year-old girl with a history ofcomplex partial epilepsy. At 3 years she experienced a febrileconvulsion, although no medication was given. At 4 years 5months old, she had her first episode of vacant staring for 3–15minutes. She was diagnosed with complex partial epilepsy andreceived carbamazepine. She was hospitalised due torecurrent complex partial seizures over a 3-month period andreceived carbamazepine and lamotrigine. At 5 years of age,vigabatrin was added due to persistent seizure attacks andlamotrigine was discontinued. She developed absenceseizures with increasing frequency, and vigabatrin was taperedand valproic acid was added. Her absence seizuressubsequently ceased.

The third child, a 12-year-old boy, was diagnosed withpartial epilepsy with secondary generalisation and receivedcarbamazepine. Two months later, he developed absence-likeseizures. Valproic acid was added to his medication, and hisabsence seizures subsequently only occasionally occurred.Yang MT, et al. Anti-epileptic drugs-induced de novo absence seizures. Brain andDevelopment 25: 51-56, Jan 2003 - Taiwan 807213092

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Reactions 28 Jun 2003 No. 9570114-9954/10/0957-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved