The effect of carbamazepine monotherapy on full blood count in epileptic patients

الملخص EN

Objectives : To assess the effect of carbamazepine on full blood count in epileptic patients.

Patients and Methods : This study was done in the Outpatient department of Ibn–Sina Hospital in Mosul, during the period from October 2004 to September 2005.

Epileptic patients under oral carbamazepine therapy (200-1200 mg / day) were included in this study.

The patients were 44 males and 26 females.

The duration of treatment was between 1-30 years.

The control subjects included 41 males and 35 females.

They were apparently healthy subjects.

Blood samples were taken from patients and controls and analyzed for full blood count including hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular Hb (MCH), red cell distribution width (RDW), red blood cell count (RBC count), hematocrit % (PCV), white blood cell count (WBC count) and platelets.

Results : In both male and female patients, Hb was significantly lower than that in the control group, respectively.

The other measurements of full blood count, there were no significant differences compared with the control group in both male and female, respectively.

Conclusion : Chronic use of carbamazepine in epileptic patients is relatively safe on full blood count.

Periodical examination of full blood count is necessary for epileptic patients under carbamazepine therapy.