Trigeminal neuralgia: time course of pain in relation to carbamazepine dosing

Eight in-patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) were studied while receiving carbamazepine (CBZ) treatment. The aim was to study diurnal pain distribution, its relation to CBZ dosing and plasma concentration and the effect of decreasing the dose. All pain attacks were registered by the patients at three-hour intervals. CBZ was given b.i.d. in a single blind manner with the patient unaware of dose and dose changes. Plasma concentrations of CBZ were followed every fourth hour during a period of altogether sixteen dosage intervals. The diurnal pain distribution revealed marked intra-individual similarities with pain-free nights and a significant drop in pain during mid-day hours. The latter coincided in time with the peak plasma concentration of CBZ, thus indicating an effect of plasma concentration fluctuations on pain relief. Shorter dosage intervals might therefore be beneficial in problem cases. A significant increase in pain was detected within six to nine hours after a dose reduction, whereas the full effect of the dose change seemed to be established only after one day.