Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2025
Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization
Published on: September 20, 2024
Patterns of Antiepileptic Drug Reactions in Children: A Multicenter Study
Parinaz Sedighi1,2, Neda Khalili3, Nastaran Khalili3
1Student research committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Insights
Phenobarbital is the primary cause of antiepileptic drug-induced skin reactions in Iranian children. Increased caution is needed when prescribing phenobarbital to pediatric patients to prevent adverse cutaneous events.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Pediatrics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Antiepileptic drugs frequently trigger cutaneous adverse reactions.
- 5-17% of epileptic patients experience idiosyncratic skin reactions, often within two months of starting medication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate patterns of cutaneous drug reactions from anticonvulsants in Iranian children.
- To identify pediatric patients at high risk for these reactions.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective descriptive study of 186 pediatric patients (2 months to 14 years).
- Reviewed medical records from April 2007 to March 2018 across multiple Iranian provinces.
- Extracted data on drug reactions due to anticonvulsant use.
Main Results:
- Phenobarbital was the causative agent in approximately 70% of cases.
- Maculopapular rashes were the most common reaction (69%).
- Median time to rash and fever onset was 10 and 7 days, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Phenobarbital is the leading cause of antiepileptic drug-induced cutaneous reactions in Iranian pediatrics.
- Highlights the need for careful phenobarbital prescription in this population.
Objectives:
Antiepileptic drugs are among the most common triggers of cutaneous adverse reactions. About 5-17% of epileptic patients develop idiosyncratic skin reactions at some point during their treatment course, most of which occur within the first two months of drug initiation. This study aimed to investigate the pattern of cutaneous drug reactions associated with anticonvulsant use among the pediatric population in Iran to identify high-risk individuals.
Materials & Methods:
In this retrospective descriptive study, medical records of children aged two months to 14 years, who were diagnosed with drug reactions due to anticonvulsant drugs between April 2007 and March 2018, were reviewed, and relevant information were extracted. This multicenter study was conducted in several provinces of Iran.
Results:
A total of 186 cases with a final diagnosis of the antiepileptic drug-induced eruption were evaluated. The median age of participants was 36 months (range: 2-168), and 56% were male. In approximately 70% of the children, the phenobarbital was the culprit. The median time interval between initiation of the causative drug and development of rash and fever was 10 and 7 days, respectively. The most common rash type was maculopapular rashes (69%). Overall, 33% of the patients only received antihistamines after discontinuation of the causative drug.
Conclusion:
Similar to previously published studies in Iran, phenobarbital was the main cause of cutaneous drug reactions to antiepileptic drugs, indicating the necessity of paying more attention when prescribing phenobarbital for Iranian pediatrics.
More Related Videos
07:01Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid GABA into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
Published on: May 16, 2019
10:22Interictal High Frequency Oscillations Detected with Simultaneous Magnetoencephalography and Electroencephalography as Biomarker of Pediatric Epilepsy
Published on: December 6, 2016
Related Concept Videos
01:14Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
01:24Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
01:13Seizures: Classification
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
01:18Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for...
01:08Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...