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The Pharmacology of Chewable Versus Regular Carbamazepine in Chronically Treated Children With Epilepsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

Peter Camfield ,
Paul Hwang ,
Carol Camfield ,
Albert Fraser ,
Steven Soldin  and
AK Al-Quadah
Peter Camfield
Affiliation:
IWK Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax
Paul Hwang
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto
Carol Camfield*
Affiliation:
IWK Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax
Albert Fraser
Affiliation:
Department of Toxicology, Victoria General Hospital, Halifax
Steven Soldin
Affiliation:
Children’s Hospital National Medical Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Washington, D.C.
AK Al-Quadah
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto
*
IWK Children’s Hospital, Box 3070, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 3G9
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Abstract:

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We report the first comparison of Chewable and Regular Carbamazepine (CBZ) tablets in children with epilepsy. Forty-four children receiving chronic monotherapy CBZ participated. In month 1 children received regular CBZ; in month 2, the same dose of Chewable CBZ. Once per week fasting predose CBZ and CBZ epoxide serum levels were determined. In a subset of 15 children, at the end of each month serum levels were obtained every 2 hours for 12 hours beginning pre-dose. Standards for CBZ and CBZ epoxide were tested in each centre. Overall, weekly levels showed no consistent differences between the month on chewable CBZ and regular CBZ. Seizure control and rates of reported side effects were similar. In five patients chewable CBZ produced higher peak CBZ levels while five had higher peaks with regular CBZ. In conclusion, regular and chewable CBZ often have unpredictable differences in peak but not trough levels of CBZ suggesting that peak level side effects with one form of CBZ might be alleviated by changing to the other.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , May 1992 , pp. 204 - 207
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1992

References

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