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[Saliva and plasma levels of carbamazepine have a poor correlation: a pilot study].

UNLABELLED
Carbamazepine is one of the most commonly used anticonvulsants for the treatment of epilepsy and its plasma concentrations must be monitored periodically to obtain a useful and safe clinical effect. There is not a good relationship between the dose of the carbamazepine and their effects in humans, but the effects of this drug have been well correlated with its plasma levels.


AIM
To measure the correlation between plasma and saliva levels of carbamazepine in children with epilepsy.


MATERIAL AND METHODS
Saliva and plasma levels of carbamazepine were measured by using instrumental planar chromatography in 11 epileptic children aged 8 to 15 years treated with the drug for at least six months.


RESULTS
The mean saliva/plasma ratio was 0.18+/-0.05 and the mean of carbamazepine concentration in saliva, expressed as a percentage of concentrations in plasma, was 17.97+/-5.40. There was a poor linear correlation (r=0.37) between the concentrations of carbamazepine in both fluids.


CONCLUSIONS
In this group of epileptic children the correlation between saliva and plasma carbamazepine levels was weak.