Neonatal cholestatic hepatitis from carbamazepine exposure during pregnancy and breast feeding

Treatment and care of women with epilepsy before, during, and after pregnancy: a practical guide

Women with epilepsy (WWE) wishing for a child represent a highly relevant subgroup of epilepsy patients. The treating epileptologist needs to delineate the epilepsy syndrome and choose the appropriate anti-seizure medication (ASM) considering the main goal of seizure freedom, teratogenic risks, changes in drug metabolism during pregnancy and postpartum, demanding for up-titration during and down-titration after pregnancy. Folic acid or vitamin K supplements and breastfeeding are also discussed in this review. Lamotrigine and levetiracetam have the lowest teratogenic potential. Data on teratogenic risks are also favorable for oxcarbazepine, whereas topiramate tends to have an unfavorable profile. Valproate needs special emphasis. It is most effective in generalized seizures but should be avoided whenever possible due to its teratogenic effects and the negative impact on neuropsychological development of in utero-exposed children. Valproate still has its justification in patients not achieving seizure freedom with other ASMs or if a woman decides to or cannot become pregnant for any reason. When valproate is the most appropriate treatment option, the patient and caregiver must be fully informed of the risks associated with its use during pregnancies. Folate supplementation is recommended to reduce the risk of major congenital malformations. However, there is insufficient information to address the optimal dose and it is unclear whether higher doses offer greater protection. There is currently no general recommendation for a peripartum vitamin K prophylaxis. During pregnancy most ASMs (e.g. lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, and levetiracetam) need to be increased to compensate for the decline in serum levels; exceptions are valproate and carbamazepine. Postpartum, baseline levels are reached relatively fast, and down-titration is performed empirically. Many ASMs in monotherapy are (moderately) safe for breastfeeding and women should be encouraged to do so. This review provides a practically oriented overview of the complex management of WWE before, during, and after pregnancy.

Treatment of Peripartum Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder affects women throughout their childbearing years. During the perinatal period, women with bipolar disorder are vulnerable to depressive episode recurrences and have an increased risk for postpartum psychosis. Perinatal screening is critical to identify women at risk. Although medications are the mainstay of treatment, the choice of pharmacotherapy must be made by the patient based on a risk-benefit discussion with her physician. For optimal dosing in pregnancy, therapeutic drug monitoring may be required to maintain effective drug concentrations. Residual symptoms of bipolar depression are treatable with bright light therapy as an alternative to medication augmentation.

[Use of antiepileptic drugs during breastfeeding : What do we tell the mother?]

BACKGROUND

Knowledge about the passage of various antiepileptic drugs into breast milk and its consequences for the infant is limited. Faced with this uncertainty, breastfeeding is often discouraged for these patients. The aim of this study was to comprehensively review the available data regarding antiepileptic drugs during breastfeeding, to compare these data with information provided by the summary of product characteristics (SmPCs), and to provide recommendations for the use of these drugs in breastfeeding women.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We performed a systematic literature review on breastfeeding data for 23 antiepileptic drugs. A breastfeeding compatibility score was developed and validated. The estimated score based on the literature review was compared with the estimated score based on recommendations provided by the SmPCs.

RESULTS

We identified 75 articles containing exposure and safety data for 15 antiepileptic agents during breastfeeding. The comparison between the score values based on the literature review and on the SmPCs revealed a very low degree of concordance (weighted kappa: 0.08).

CONCLUSION

Phenobarbital, primidone, carbamazepine, valproate and levetiracetam are probably compatible with breastfeeding. Treatment with phenytoin, ethosuximide, clonazepam, oxcarbazepine, vigabatrin, topiramate, gabapentin, pregabalin, lamotrigine and zonisamide can be authorized during breastfeeding, provided breastfed infants are carefully monitored for side effects. Since data on the use of mesuximide, clobazam, rufinamide, felbamate, lacosamide, sultiame, perampanel and retigabine are insufficient to adequately assess the risk for breastfed infants, use in breastfeeding women is in principle not recommended and should be carefully evaluated on a case by case basis. In practice, a risk-benefit analysis should be performed for each mother under antiepileptic treatment wishing to breastfeed her child, so that individual risk factors can adequately be taken into account when counseling the patient.

Maternal Carbamazepine Therapy and Unusual Adverse Effects in a Breastfed Infant

BACKGROUND

Usually, no adverse effects are observed in breastfed infants whose mothers are treated with the anti-epileptic carbamazepine. In this article, we described unusual short-term adverse effects observed in a young infant after exposure to carbamazepine during pregnancy and lactation.

CASE REPORT

A 40-day-old female infant, born at term, was admitted to the Pediatric Clinic at University of Sassari, Italy, for recurrent regurgitations and vomiting. She was breastfed since birth and her mother was under chronic carbamazepine therapy. Gastroesophageal reflux was initially suspected; therefore, thickening of feeds and postural therapy were applied without any benefit. Subsequently, high levels of carbamazepine were detected in infant serum and in maternal breast milk. After an unsuccessful attempt to combine breastfeeding with formula feeding, the switch to exclusive formula feeding was made, with subsequent rapid resolution of symptoms and body weight increase.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The use of carbamazepine is considered compatible with breastfeeding, even if the potential risk of adverse reactions in breastfed infants exists. In this case, the discontinuation of breastfeeding resulted in the complete resolution of symptoms, suggesting a correlation between the observed manifestations in the infant and her exposure to maternal therapy.

Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics during breastfeeding: Focus on bipolar disorder

Breast milk is considered the best source of nutrients and provides much better protection than immune modified milk. However, the postpartum period is a phase of increased risk for all women to experience psychiatric symptoms and recurrences or new episodes of bipolar disorder (BD), especially in those who have discontinued treatment. This is a systematic review of the risks and benefits of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics during breastfeeding as they relate to the health and well-being of mothers and their infants. Evidence-based treatment advice for women with BD during lactation is also provided. This systematic review has been conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. We included studies examining the exposure and the effects of antipsychotics and mood stabilizers used to treat BD on infants during breastfeeding clearly reporting the estimated amount of drug or effects on infants. The final selection included 56 studies. The available data supports the use of lithium as a possible treatment option during breastfeeding. Carbamazepine and valproic acid are also considered relatively safe. Lamotrigine can be used but at the lowest doses and considered for individual cases. Among the antipsychotics, quetiapine and olanzapine should be considered as first-line treatment options. Risperidone may be compatible with breastfeeding under medical supervision. Clozapine and amisulpiride are currently contraindicated. Long-term outcome studies evaluating the infant׳s health and psychosocial and cognitive functioning are needed.

Mood stabilizers during breastfeeding: a systematic review of the recent literature

OBJECTIVE

This review examined the safety of mood stabilizers in exposed breastfed infants.

METHODS

PubMed was searched for English language reports between 1 January 1995 and 30 August 2015 by using combinations of key words breastfeeding, lactation, postpartum period, puerperium, mood stabilizers, lithium, lamotrigine, valproate, carbamazepine, and oxcarbazepine. Case reports, case series, and prospective or cross-sectional studies including relevant data such as relative infant dose, milk-to-plasma ratio, infant drug plasma levels, and adverse events were identified.

RESULTS

A total of 26 of 604 relevant reports in PubMed were included in the study. These reports included lamotrigine (122 cases in 12 reports), lithium (26 cases in five reports), carbamazepine (64 cases in five reports), valproate (nine cases in three reports), and oxcarbazepine (two cases in two reports). Of 26 reports, one report included both carbamazepine and valproate. The reports suggest that a considerable amount of lithium and lamotrigine are excreted into breast milk. There is a paucity of data on valproate and oxcarbazepine; however, the infant/maternal ratio of serum drug concentration seems to be lower in valproate exposure compared to other mood stabilizers. The incidence of adverse events in infants exposed to mood stabilizers is reported to be very low.

CONCLUSIONS

The current data suggest that mood stabilizers can be prescribed without any adverse events in most infants in lactating women. The available reports also suggest a low prevalence rate of laboratory abnormalities including hepatic, kidney, and thyroid functions in the infants. Additional studies examining short-term and especially long-term effects of mood stabilizers on breastfed infants are required.

Lactation studies of anticonvulsants: a quality review

AIM

The aim of this review was to investigate the quality of the current literature on the transfer of anticonvulsants to breast milk to provide an overview of which anticonvulsants are in need of further research.

METHODS

We reviewed the quality of the available lactation studies for 19 anticonvulsants against the guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA).

RESULTS

Except for one study on lamotrigine and one case report on gabapentin, no study on anticonvulsants had both the absolute infant dose (AID) and milk to plasma ratio (M : P) correctly assessed. Only one study on carbamazepine, phenytoin and vigabatrin was found that correctly assessed the AID. The main cause for this low number is the lack of essential details in published studies, since 25 of 62 studies were case reports, letters or abstracts. Other major shortcomings were the lack of information on sampling methods, the number of samples in a particular dose interval as well as the low number of study participants.

CONCLUSION

The quality of the current literature on the transfer of anticonvulsants to breast milk is low, except for lamotrigine, which makes it hard to draw conclusions about the safety of the use of anticonvulsants during the lactation period. Therefore, further research is needed.

Antiepileptic drugs and breastfeeding

INTRODUCTION

This review provides a synopsis for clinicians on the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the breastfeeding mother.

METHODS

For each AED, we collected all retrievable data from Hale's "Medications and Mother Milk" (2012), from the LactMed database (2013) of the National Library of Medicine, and from a MedLine Search of relevant studies in the past 10 years.

RESULTS

Older AEDs, such as carbamazepine, valproic acid, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone are considered to have a good level of safety during lactation, due to the long term clinical experience and the consequent amount of available data from the scientific literature. On the contrary, fewer data are available on the use of new AEDs. Therefore, gabapentin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, vigabatrin, tiagabine, pregabalin, leviracetam and topiramate are compatible with breastfeeding with a less documented safety profile. Ethosuximide, zonisamide and the continue use of clonazepam and diazepam are contraindicated during breastfeeding.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the current available advice on the use of AEDs during breastfeeding, given by different accredited sources, present some contradictions, most AEDs can be considered safe according to our review.

Which psychotropic medications induce hepatotoxicity?

OBJECTIVE

Safe prescribing practices to minimize pharmaceutically induced liver damage or worsening of preexisting conditions require knowledge about medicines with hepatotoxic potential. This paper reviews psychotropic medications and their effects on the liver.

METHODS

A MEDLINE search was performed utilizing the phrase "drug-induced liver injury" with various categories of psychiatric drugs. Only articles written in English were utilized.

RESULTS

Hepatotoxicity can be acute or chronic in nature. Medication discontinuation is necessary in acute forms, while close monitoring is required in milder forms of medication-induced chronic liver damage. Nefazodone, pemoline and/or tacrine are the highest offenders. Carbamazepine and valproate products (e.g., divalproex) can lead to this adverse event and should be avoided in patients with liver disease, persons with alcohol misuse or those consuming high doses of acetaminophen.

CONCLUSION

Knowing the risk levels associated with various medicines is important; prescribing multiple drugs with hepatotoxic effects should be avoided. One should educate patients about early warning signs of liver injury. Always provide clinical and laboratory monitoring before and during the use of hepatotoxic drugs. Clinical features and laboratory results govern medication prescribing with ongoing risk-to-benefit ratio assessment during pharmacotherapy.

Effects of Hepatic Drug-metabolizing Enzyme Induction on Clinical Pathology Parameters in Animals and Man

Hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme (DME) induction is an adaptive response associated with changes in preclinical species; this response can include increases in liver weight, hepatocellular hyperplasia and hypertrophy, and upregulated tissue expression of DMEs. Effects of DME induction on clinical pathology markers of hepatobiliary injury and function in animals as well as humans are not well established. This component of a multipart review of the comparative pathology of xenobiotically mediated induction of hepatic metabolizing enzymes reviews pertinent data from retrospective and prospective preclinical and clinical studies. Particular attention is given to studies with confirmation of DME induction and concurrent evaluation of liver and/or serum hepatobiliary marker enzyme activities and histopathology. These results collectively indicate that in the rat, when histologic findings are limited to hepatocellular hypertrophy, DME induction is not expected to be associated with consistent or substantive changes in serum or plasma activity of hepatobiliary marker enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma glutamyltransferase. In the dog and the monkey, published studies also do not demonstrate a consistent relationship across DME-inducing agents and changes in these clinical pathology parameters. However, increased liver alkaline phosphatase or gamma glutamyltransferase activity in dogs treated with phenobarbital or corticosteroids suggests that direct or indirect induction of select hepatobiliary injury markers can occur both in the absence of liver injury and independently of induction of DME activity. Although correlations between tissue and serum levels of these hepatobiliary markers are limited and inconsistent, increases in serum/plasma activities that are substantial or involve changes in other markers generally reflect hepatobiliary insult rather than DME induction. Extrahepatic effects, including disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, can also occur as a direct outcome of hepatic DME induction in humans and animals. Importantly, hepatic DME induction and associated changes in preclinical species are not necessarily predictive of the occurrence, magnitude, or enzyme induction profile in humans.

The International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) consensus guidelines for the safety monitoring of bipolar disorder treatments

OBJECTIVES

Safety monitoring is an important aspect of bipolar disorder treatment, as mood-stabilising medications have potentially serious side effects, some of which may also aggravate existing medical comorbidities. This paper sets out the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) guidelines for the safety monitoring of widely used agents in the treatment of bipolar disorder. These guidelines aim to provide recommendations that take into consideration the balance between safety and cost-effectiveness, to highlight iatrogenic and preventive clinical issues, and to facilitate the broad implementation of therapeutic safety monitoring as a standard component of treatment for bipolar disorder.

METHODS

These guidelines were developed by an ISBD workgroup, headed by the senior author (MB), through an iterative process of serial consensus-based revisions. After this, feedback from a multidisciplinary group of health professionals on the applicability of these guidelines was sought to develop the final recommendations.

RESULTS

General safety monitoring recommendations for all bipolar disorder patients receiving treatment and specific monitoring recommendations for individual agents are outlined.

CONCLUSIONS

These guidelines are derived from evolving and often indirect data, with minimal empirical cost-effectiveness data available to provide guidance. These guidelines will therefore need to be modified to adapt to different clinical settings and health resources. Clinical acumen and vigilance remain critical ingredients for safe treatment practice.

Managing epilepsy in women of childbearing age

Epilepsy affects the menstrual cycle, aspects of contraception, fertility, pregnancy and bone health in women. It is common for seizure frequency to vary throughout the menstrual cycle. In ovulatory cycles, two peaks can be seen around the time of ovulation and in the few days before menstruation. In anovulatory cycles, there is an increase in seizures during the second half of the menstrual cycle. There is also an increase in polycystic ovaries and hyperandrogenism associated with valproate therapy. There are no contraindications to the use of non-hormonal methods of contraception in women with epilepsy. Non-enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) [valproate, benzodiazepines, ethosuximide, levetiracetam, tiagabine and zonisamide] do not show any interactions with the combined oral contraceptive (OC). There are interactions between the combined OC and hepatic microsomal-inducing AEDs (phenytoin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, topiramate [dosages>200 mg/day], oxcarbazepine) and lamotrigine. Pre-conception counselling should be available to all women with epilepsy who are considering pregnancy. Women with epilepsy should be informed about issues relating to the future pregnancy, including methods and consequences of prenatal screening, fertility, genetics of their seizure disorder, teratogenicity of AEDs, folic acid and vitamin K supplements, labour, breast feeding and care of a child. During pregnancy, the lowest effective dose of the most appropriate AED should be used, aiming for monotherapy where possible. Recent pregnancy databases have suggested that valproate is significantly more teratogenic than carbamazepine, and the combination of valproate and lamotrigine is particularly teratogenic. Most pregnancies in women with epilepsy are without complications, and the majority of infants are delivered healthy with no increased risk of obstetric complications in women. There is no medical reason why a woman with epilepsy cannot breastfeed her child. The AED concentration profiled in breast milk follows the plasma concentration curve. The total amount of drug transferred to infants via breast milk is usually much smaller than the amount transferred via the placenta during pregnancy. However, as drug elimination mechanisms are not fully developed in early infancy, repeated administration of a drug such as lamotrigine via breast milk may lead to accumulation in the infant. Studies have suggested that women with epilepsy are at increased risk of fractures, osteoporosis and osteomalacia. No studies have been undertaken looking at preventative therapies for these co-morbidities.

Antiepileptic drug therapy in pregnancy II: fetal and neonatal exposure

The issue of how much an antiepileptic drug (AED) crosses the placenta and relative safety of lactation in mothers receiving AEDs are common clinical questions. Educating potential mothers with epilepsy regarding available information is warranted so that informed decisions and any needed neonatal monitoring is performed. Unfortunately, there is still limited data regarding the degree in which anticonvulsants cross the placenta and penetrate into breast milk. There is a greater appreciation of the factors that influence AED passive transfer across the placenta and into breast milk, as well as factors that ultimately influence neonatal AED distribution. In general, women with epilepsy can have healthy babies even with significant placental exposure and can breast-feed their babies safely with some cautions. Phenobarbital and primidone should be avoided in parents wishing to breast-feed. For the AEDs ethosuximide, levetiracetam, lamotrigine, topiramate, and zonisamide, there is a potential for significant breast milk concentrations; however, there are no firm guidelines on whether lactation is safe. In all cases, parents should be counseled to monitor their child for side effects and the need for routine monitoring.

Prenatal exposure to methamphetamine presenting as neonatal cholestasis

INTRODUCTION

Methamphetamine has been recognized as a common cause of acute toxic hepatitis in adults with clinical and histologic features indistinguishable from acute viral hepatitis. Clinical presentation of methamphetamine hepatotoxicity ranges from mild acute hepatitis with prompt recovery to fulminant hepatic failure. The pathophysiology of this hepatotoxicity is not well elucidated. Prenatal exposure to methamphetamine has been linked to intrauterine growth retardation and variety of withdrawal symptoms. Neonatal cholestasis is rare but serious problem that indicates hepatobiliary dysfunction and has several categories of etiologies. These include infectious, metabolic, endocrine, toxic, structural, familial, and autoimmune disorders. Cholestatic hepatitis is a recognized complication of exposure to some drugs including carbamazepine and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

CASE

A 35-week preterm, appropriate for gestational age, white girl was born to a 39-year-old mother who had no prenatal care. The mother's urine drug screen revealed methamphetamine. The baby passed pale meconium and her subsequent stools were hypo-pigmented. A detailed work up was done and was unremarkable except for hepatobiliary scintigraphy, with no activity noted in the small bowel on delayed imaging. An operative cholangiogram and liver biopsy were performed. The cholangiogram revealed patent bile ducts. Liver biopsy was consistent with acute viral or toxic hepatitis. Gradual drop of bilirubin was noted. With negative extensive work up for other etiology, known hepatotoxicity of methamphetamine, early onset of cholestasis that improved without specific therapy, it is strongly suspected that prenatal exposure to methamphetamine is the most likely culprit in this patient.

DISCUSSION

This is the first recorded case of neonatal cholestasis related to prenatal exposure to methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is considered the fastest-growing illicit drug in United States. Hence, prenatal exposure to methamphetamine is expected to rise. Healthcare providers should become aware of the possibility of methamphetamine effect on the fetal liver. Raising awareness of the expectant mothers through the healthcare profession may reduce the risk of this condition.

Lamotrigine in breast milk and nursing infants: determination of exposure

OBJECTIVE

Although lamotrigine use during pregnancy has substantially increased over the past decade secondary to accumulated reproductive safety data, systematic data on lamotrigine during breastfeeding remains sparse. We sought to characterize the determinants of lamotrigine concentrations in breast milk and nursing-infant plasma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Women who enrolled in a prospective investigation of perinatal medication pharmacokinetics, were treated with lamotrigine, and chose to continue lamotrigine while breastfeeding were included in the analysis. Breast milk samples were collected via breast pump from foremilk to hindmilk from a single breast to determine the excretion gradient and serial samples over 24 hours to determine the time course of excretion. Paired maternal/infant plasma samples were also collected. Lamotrigine concentrations in all of the samples were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Statistical analyses of breast milk and infant plasma concentrations and their determinants were conducted.

RESULTS

Thirty women and their nursing infants participated in the study, providing a total of 210 breast milk samples. The mean milk/plasma ratio was 41.3%. There was a nonsignificant trend for higher lamotrigine concentrations in breast milk 4 hours after the maternal dose. Infant plasma concentrations were 18.3% of maternal plasma concentrations. The theoretical infant lamotrigine dose was 0.51 mg/kg per day, and the relative infant lamotrigine dose was 9.2%. Mild thrombocytosis was present in 7 of 8 infants at the time of serum sampling. No other adverse events were observed or reported in the breastfed infants.

CONCLUSIONS

Consistent with previous investigations of medications in breast milk, the lamotrigine milk/plasma ratio is highly variable. The rate of lamotrigine excretion into human breast milk is similar to that observed with other antiepileptic drugs. These data expand the extant literature on lamotrigine in breastfeeding and demonstrate relatively comparable nursing-infant exposure to lamotrigine compared with other antiepileptic drugs.

Thérapeutique des troubles anxieux et dépressifs de la grossesse et du post-partum. Revue et synthèse

The aim of this article is to review the main methods of treatment of anxious and depressive disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum. To this end, we analyse recent publications about the use and efficacy of psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions (cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, psychoanalytical therapy) in the perinatal period. We also review recent papers about the use of psychotropic medication during pregnancy and breast-feeding, with special emphasis on clinical trials. We particularly focus on the risk/benefit assessment of antidepressants, mood stabilisers, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, in terms of teratogenicity, and impact on neonatal adaptation and neuropsychological development. Various treatment modalities are presented and discussed. It appears that psychotherapies have proved their efficiency on most pre- and postpartum anxious and depressive disorders and represent a first line treatment in most cases. Psychopharmacological treatment is indicated for severe anxious and depressive disorders. The risks of such medication, especially antidepressants, may have been overestimated in the past. Provided reasonable precautions are taken and mothers and future mothers receive clear information on the potential risks and benefits, psychotropic medication could be more broadly prescribed during pregnancy and the breast-feeding period.

Thirty years of clinical experience with carbamazepine in the treatment of bipolar illness: principles and practice

Carbamazepine began to be studied in a systematic fashion in the 1970s and became more widely used in the treatment of bipolar disorder in the 1980s. Interest in carbamazepine has been renewed by (i) the recent US FDA approval of a long-acting preparation for the treatment of acute mania; (ii) studies suggesting some efficacy in bipolar depression; and (iii) evidence of prophylactic efficacy in some difficult-to-treat subtypes of bipolar illness. A series of double-blind controlled studies of the drug were conducted at the US National Institute of Mental Health from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. This review summarises our experience in the context of the current literature on the clinical efficacy, adverse effects and pharmacokinetic interactions of carbamazepine. Carbamazepine has an important and still evolving place in the treatment of acute mania and long-term prophylaxis. It may be useful in individuals with symptoms that are not responsive to other treatments and in some subtypes of bipolar disorder that are not typically responsive to a more traditional agent such as lithium. These subtypes might include those patients with bipolar II disorder, dysphoric mania, substance abuse co-morbidity, mood incongruent delusions, and a negative family history of bipolar illness in first-degree relatives. In addition, carbamazepine may be useful in patients who do not adequately tolerate other interventions as a result of adverse effects, such as weight gain, tremor, diabetes insipidus or polycystic ovarian syndrome. We review our clinical and research experience with carbamazepine alone and in combination with lithium, valproic acid and other agents in complex combination treatment of bipolar illness. More precise clinical and biological predictors and correlates of individual clinical responsiveness to carbamazepine and other mood stabilisers are eagerly awaited.

Clinical use of carbamazepine for bipolar disorders

Two recently completed large, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials supporting the efficacy of carbamazepine (CBZ) extended-release capsules (ERC) for the treatment of acute manic and mixed episodes have resulted in US FDA approval of CBZ-ERC, and have reinvigorated the importance of understanding the role of CBZ in bipolar disorder (BD) pharmacotherapy. Additional data suggest that CBZ may have a use in BD maintenance treatment and possibly in acute BD depression. Optimal use of CBZ requires sound knowledge of adverse effects and pharmacokinetic interactions with this agent. Adverse effects commonly involve benign side effects but can rarely include serious haematological, dermatological and hepatic manifestations. On the other hand, metabolic adverse effects (thyroid, glucose, lipid disturbances and significant weight gain) can be less problematic with CBZ, compared with lithium, valproate and atypical antipsychotics. Pharmacokinetic considerations (cytochrome P450 3A3/4 metabolism, active epoxide metabolite and catabolic enzyme induction) can influence the clinical use of CBZ. Managing adverse effects and pharmacokinetic complexities is important for optimising pharmacotherapy with CBZ in patients with BD. This paper reviews the chemistry, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of CBZ, as well as reviews of the controlled trials of CBZ in acute bipolar mania, acute bipolar depression and bipolar maintenance treatment.

Bipolar disorder in women: reproductive events and treatment considerations

OBJECTIVE

Bipolar disorders are prevalent in women. Women with bipolar disorder often present with different clinical features than men. Reproductive events and hormonal treatments may impact the course of bipolar disorder. Our main objectives are to i) assess the impact of reproductive events on the course of the disorder, and ii) to discuss the relationships between reproductive events and psychiatric treatments.

METHOD

A literature search was conducted of MEDLINE journals from 1965 to present. Manual literature searches were also conducted. We review the presentation, clinical course, and treatment considerations of bipolar disorder in women, with emphasis on treatment considerations in the context of reproductive events. Treatment-related issues such as teratogenicity, breastfeeding, polycystic ovarian syndrome, weight gain and obesity, and medication interactions with oral contraceptives are reviewed.

RESULTS

Women with bipolar disorder may be more vulnerable to mood episodes in the context of reproductive events, particularly postpartum. In women of reproductive age, mood stabilizers must be selected with teratogenic risks in mind, with the highest reported risks in pregnancy with valproate, and the greatest concern during breastfeeding with lithium use. In the areas of the perimenopause and polycycstic ovarian syndrome, more data are needed to advise treatment decisions.

CONCLUSION

We urgently need further study in these areas to deliver care that is appropriate to women with bipolar disorder.

Mega-dose carbamazepine complicating third trimester of pregnancy

A case of coma due to carbamazepine ingestion with the intention of committing suicide at 33 weeks' gestation is presented. Management included activated charcoal administration and exchange plasmapheresis. A fetal non-stress test was non-reassuring but the Apgar score, cord blood gases and early neonatal outcome were normal. Differential diagnosis of coma in pregnancy should include investigation for drug intoxication.

Drug-induced liver disease

The year 2002 saw a warning from the US Food and Drug Administration not to use the diet agent, Lipokinetix, and brought to light a few new agents as potential hepatotoxins. Numerous other reports confirmed the hepatotoxicity of several previously described agents. Refinements in causality assessment remain an important aspect in defining drug-induced liver disease and proposed new upper limits of normal for alanine aminotransferase that are lower than most laboratories currently report may require rethinking our definition of "normal liver function tests." Chronic viral hepatitis B and C remain important risk factors for antiretroviral-induced liver injury in patients co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus and in patients receiving antituberculosis therapy. Acetaminophen retains its status as the most common cause of acute drug-induced liver failure in the United States and in many other countries. Several papers addressed the issue of accidental versus intentional overdoses, the role of alcohol consumption as a risk factor, and newer aspects of treating and preventing acetaminophen injury to the liver. Finally, the use of potentially hepatotoxic medications in patients with underlying liver disease continues to be a controversial topic and a rational approach to the use of such drugs in this setting is provided.

Adverse drug reactions in breastfed infants: less than imagined

Medication use during breastfeeding shortens the duration of breastfeeding often because of overly cautious information given by healthcare providers. No comprehensive review of the literature on infant adverse reactions from drugs in breastmilk has been published. All published studies and case reports on adverse events in infants caused by medications (excluding drugs of abuse) in breastmilk were identified and analyzed. Of 100 case reports evaluated, none were considered to be "definite" using a standard ranking scale; 47% were "probable" and 53% were "possible." Drugs with central nervous system activity accounted for half of all reports. All 3 reported fatalities involved central nervous system depressants, but each had extenuating circumstances. At least 63% of reported cases were in neonates and 78% were in infants 2 months or younger; only 4% of adverse reactions occurred in infants older than 6 months of age. Published studies expand on and generally reinforce the analysis of case reports. By taking a few simple precautions in drug selection and considering the infant's age, breastfeeding rarely needs to be discouraged or discontinued when a mother needs drug therapy.

Cholestatic syndromes

Further insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying hepatobiliary transport function and its regulation now permit a better understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment options of cholestatic liver diseases. Identification of the molecular basis of hereditary cholestatic syndromes will result in an improved diagnosis and management of these conditions. New insights into the pathogenesis of extrahepatic manifestations of cholestasis (eg, pruritus) have facilitated new treatment strategies. Important new studies have been published about the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, cholestasis of pregnancy, total parenteral nutrition-induced cholestasis, drug-induced cholestasis, and viral cholestatic syndromes.