Carbamazepine and its epoxide: an open study of efficacy and side effects after carbamazepine dose increment in refractory partial epilepsy.

We evaluated the efficacy, development of adverse effects, and possible correlation between the plasma concentration of carbamazepine (CBZ) and its major metabolite, carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZ-E), in a group of epileptic patients in whom selective increases in CBZ doses were made. Eighteen patients with refractory partial epilepsy participated in an open trial. Five were on monotherapy and 13 on polytherapy. All the patients were on CBZ before the trial and had plasma levels within the therapeutic range (17-42 mumol/L). After a baseline period, CBZ doses were progressively increased either to reach a 50% reduction in seizure frequency for 2 months or until side effects appeared. Thirty-nine percent of the patients had a 50% decline in seizure frequency, but only 17% improved for > 6 months. Mild or moderate side effects were observed in 78% of the patients. Side effects were correlated with CBZ plasma levels but not with CBZ-E plasma levels. Correlation between CBZ and CBZ-E plasma levels were found in the monotherapy group, but not in the polytherapy group. Our results confirm that higher doses of CBZ can successfully be used in some patients with refractory partial epilepsy. Furthermore, the plasma level of CBZ-E does not seem to be a useful indicator of toxicity in CBZ-treated ambulatory epileptic patients.