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Carbamazepine and its epoxide: Relation of plasma levels to toxicity and seizure control
Author(s) -
Theodore William H.,
Narang P. K.,
Holmes Mark D.,
Reeves Pat,
Nice Frank J.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410250215
Subject(s) - carbamazepine , toxicity , epoxide , plasma levels , pharmacology , epilepsy , medicine , anticonvulsant , chemistry , psychiatry , biochemistry , catalysis
We studied the relation of plasma levels of carbamazepine (CBZ) and carbamazepine 10,11 epoxide (CBZ‐E), and their ratio to drug toxicity and seizure control in 7 patients with complex partial seizures. CBZ‐E/CBZ increased with increasing CBZ levels and was higher when patients were taking phenytoin or valproic acid. There were weak correlations between CBZ, CBZ‐E levels, toxicity scores, and seizure control when patients were taking CBZ alone, but not when other drugs were given as well. There were no significant differences in the correlation with toxicity score or seizure frequency between CBZ, CBZ‐E, or their sum. Measurement of CBZ‐E levels did not provide additional information useful for monitoring clinical response to CBZ therapy.