CARBAMAZEPINE ENCEPHALOPATHY - A RARE ADV ERSE REACTION

Carbamazepine-associated encephalopathy can be differentiated against more frequent toxic symptoms by its occurrence at low plasma levels. S ymptomatology consists of disorientation, somnolence and increasing se izure frequency together with background showing generalised high and voltage theta-delta-activity in the electroencephalogram. In all repor ted cases, symptoms disappeared rapidly and completely after the withd rawal of carbamazepine. No abnormal laboratory parameters have been ab served. The cause of the encephalopathy ist still unclear. Especially hyponatremia which is occasionally associated with encephalopathic sym ptoms and which results from the interaction of carbamazepine with the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) receptor was never reported in carbamazepi ne encephalopathy. In addition to two cases published during the last decade, we report on two further patients with carbamazepine encephalo pathy.