title: [Phenytoin intoxication and serum level].
abstract: The symptomatology of phenytoin intoxication was observed in 8.4% of 225 adult patients and in 9.5% of 74 children, with symptoms of cerebellar affection being noted in the majority of cases. Phenytoin concentrations were found to lie between 14.4 and 77.7 microgram/ml. Interindividual differences as to the toxic limit were quite considerable: One third of the patients showing values higher than 20 microgram/ml were free of striking clinical symptoms, and one patient tolerated a serum concentration in excess of 30 microgram/ml. On the other hand, the intraindividual toxic limit did not show any major variations: The clinical symptomatology of a patient correlated with his phenytoin serum concentration. After phenytoin withdrawal, the serum concentration dropped exponentially. The half-life periods of elimination were found to be between 72 and 122 hours.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001259:Ataxia / Q000139:chemically induced; D001264:Athetosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002819:Chorea / Q000139:chemically induced; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000139:chemically induced; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010672:Phenytoin
vernacular_title: Phenytoinintoxikation und Serumspiegel.