Successful Desensitization of Oxcarbazepine: First Case in Pediatric Patient / 대한소아신경학회지

ABSTRACT

Aromatic antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), such as diphenylhydantoin, phenobarbital, or carbamazepine (CBZ), are frequently associated with hypersensitivity reactions. This may restrict treatment options considerably due to cross reactivity with other aromatic AEDs. Desensitization can be very helpful for patients who show cross sensitivity with other AEDs. We report a case an 8-year-old patient who had cross sensitivity to oxcarbazepine (OXC) and CBZ and successfully managed by desensitization to OXC. The patient presented with intractable frontal lobe epilepsy. He had become seizure free with OXC; however OXC had to be discontinued due to whole body rash. CBZ also caused a hypersensitivity reaction. Therefore, OXC desensitization was attempted; he then had very subtle seizures during sleep with a frequency of 5 to 6 episodes per month on the 18th month of desensitization. Desensitization can be considered in a patient with limited treatment options due to hypersensitivity to aromatic AEDs.