Comparative clinical trial of sodium valproate and carbamazepine in Egyptian patients with epilepsy

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on 40 Egyptian epileptic patients, 20 on valproate [30 - 50 mg/kg oral/day] and 20 patients were on carbamazepine [20 - 40 mg/kg/oral/day]. Results of the present work demonstrated that some adverse effects higher in valproate monotherapy than carbamazepine monotherapy as tremors [10%], weight gain [20%] and appetite gain [10%], but others were higher in carbamazepine monotherapy than valproate monotherapy like headache [10%], rash [10%] and gastrointestinal troubles [15%]. Moreover some side effects occurred with carbamazepine monotherapy like decreased lipido [5%] but not with valproate. Also, there were no significant hematological changes either with valproate or carbamazepine, Moreover, SGOT, SGPT and total bilirubin were significantly elevated [p valproate not with carbamazepine monotherapy. Finally, this Study sufficiently provide useful informations of adverse events when treating adult patients with monotherapy with valproate or carbamazepine in a neurological out patient clinic in Benha University Hospital