Leucopenia as an adverse reaction to carbamazepine therapy

Carbamazepine is a commonly used anticonvulsant agent, particularly in the management of partial seizures. Because of the low incidence of adverse effects associated with this drug, these are often ignored or forgotten. The cases of two patients in whom neutropenia has developed after prolonged therapy with carbamazepine, which illustrate the dose-related nature of this adverse reaction, are reported.