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Effect of plasma exchange on carbamazepine levels in a patient with myasthenia gravis and epilepsy.

Siddiqi ZA, Holt A, Ahmed SN

PURPOSE: Patients taking antiepileptic medications may require plasma exchange (PEX) for treatment of an unrelated condition. METHODS: We studied total serum levels of carbamazepine (CBZ) serially, before and after five PEX cycles, in an epilepsy patient who underwent PEX for myasthenia gravis. RESULTS: A small but consistent reduction in the CBZ levels was noted immediately after each cycle, and a gradual and cumulative increase in the serum levels was observed over the duration of the PEX cycles. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that alterations in the serum CBZ levels with PEX are not clinically significant to merit adjustment of the CBZ dose.

Published 23 November 2005 in Epilepsia, 46(11): 1841-2.
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