Clinical Features, Intensive Care Needs, and Outcome of Carbamazepine Poisoning in Children

Carbamazepine is commonly used antiseizure medication with a narrow therapeutic range. The data on carbamazepine poisoning in children from India is limited. In this retrospective study, the authors reported 10 children with carbamazepine poisoning admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India over a period of 8 y (2013 to 2020). The median age was 5.5 (4.3-6) y and 60% cases were males. All had accidental ingestion and the dose ingested was 96 (80-103) mg/kg. The common clinical features were drowsiness (100%), tachycardia (80%), vomiting (60%), seizures (60%), respiratory failure (60%), and dystonia (50%). At admission, 60% children had coma. The treatment included gastric lavage (70%), single-dose-activated charcoal (60%), multidose-activated charcoal (30%), mechanical ventilation (60%), and dialysis (20%). The duration of PICU and hospital stay was 36 (22-45) h and 48 (48-60) h, respectively. There was no mortality.

Automated summary

This retrospective study reported the clinical features and treatment of 10 children with carbamazepine poisoning in India. All children had accidental ingestion and presented with a variety of clinical manifestations, but there were no deaths.