title: Immunologic aspects of carbamazepine treatment in epileptic patients.
abstract: Immune abnormalities have been found in epileptic patients receiving antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Phenytoin (PHT) produces a decrease in serum IgA and IgM levels and a decrease in blastic transformation of circulating lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemoagglutinin (PHA). The effects of carbamazepine (CBZ) on the immune response are still conflicting. To elucidate the effects of CBZ on some immunologic parameters, serum concentrations of IgA, IgG, IgM, the phagocytosis and killing properties of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells and the response of lymphocytes to mitogenic agents were studied. Forty healthy individuals and 39 epileptic patients treated with carbamazepine (CBZ) monotherapy (age range 18-40 years) entered the study. Student's t test was used to evaluate the data. CBZ had no effect on the serum immunoglobulin concentrations or on lymphocytic reactivity to phytohemoagglutinin (PHA) mitogen. CBZ produced a significant enhancement of phagocytosis and killing properties of PMNs and an increase in natural killer (NK) cell activity. Therefore, a negative effect of CBZ therapy on the immune system was not observed in this study.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pacifici
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paris
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Carlo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pichini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zuccaro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D010587:Phagocytosis
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D002220:Carbamazepine