Usefulness of oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension in selected patients with epilepsy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Oral loading of oxcarbazepine tablet is effective and well tolerated to adequately achieve the therapeutic levels of its active metabolite, 10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxy-carbazepine (monohydroxy derivative, MHD) in epilepsy patients. The present study was performed to investigate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profiles of oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension in epilepsy patients with a high risk of recurrent seizures.

METHODS:

Oxcarbazepine suspension was administered orally at a single loading dose of 30 mg/kg to 38 adult patients with recurrent seizures, who required rapid seizure control or temporarily discontinued antiepileptic drugs for diagnostic or pre-surgical evaluation. Plasma concentrations of oxcarbazepine and MHD were determined, and adverse events were assessed at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 24 hours after oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension.

RESULTS:

30 patients experienced ≥ 1 adverse event during the first 24 hours after oral loading of oxcarbazepine (e.g., dizziness, transient diplopia, nausea or vomiting), most of which occurred within 4 hours after loading, suggesting no temporal association with MHD plasma levels. 35 (92.1%) patients were still compliant with a maintenance dose of oxcarbazepine after discharge from hospital. 34 (89.4%) patients reached the lower therapeutic level of MHD (12 mg/l) at 4 hours after oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension, which lasted up to 24 hours in most patients. No patient reached the supratherapeutic levels of MHD (> 35 mg/l) during the study. The mean plasma concentration-time curves and pharmacokinetic profiles of oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension were similar to those of oral loading of oxcarbazepine tablet.

CONCLUSIONS:

Oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension followed by maintenance dosing is well tolerated and effective in steadily achieving the therapeutic level of MHD in selected patients with epilepsy.

• Authors: Dong Wook Kim, Namyi Gu, Howard Lee, In-Jin Jang, Kon Chu, Kyung-Sang Yu, Joo-Youn Cho, Seo Hyun Yoon, Hyun Jeong Na, Sang Kun Lee
• Journal: International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther) Vol. 51 Issue 10 Pg. 780-6 (Oct 2013) ISSN: 0946-1965 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 23849326 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Suspensions
• Carbamazepine
• Oxcarbazepine

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Anticonvulsants (administration & dosage, adverse effects, blood, pharmacokinetics)
• Area Under Curve
• Carbamazepine (administration & dosage, adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, blood, pharmacokinetics)
• Epilepsy (blood, drug therapy)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Oxcarbazepine
• Patient Selection
• Suspensions (administration & dosage)
• Young Adult