Aplastic anemia following therapy for absence seizures with ethosuximide.
We describe a case of aplastic anemia in an 8-year-old girl which was diagnosed 8 months after initiation of ethosuximide as treatment for absence seizures. Blood counts had been previously monitored and were normal. The patient successfully underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Only 8 cases of ethosuximide-associated aplastic anemia have been reported, and in only one of these reports, was ethosuximide used as a single antiepileptic agent. This rare, but potentially fatal complication of ethosuximide raises the question of whether routine monitoring of blood counts during ethosuximide therapy is useful and should be undertaken.
Massey
G V
GV
Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond.
Dunn
N L
NL
Heckel
J L
JL
Myer
E C
EC
Russell
E C
EC
D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005013:Ethosuximide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care
D005013:Ethosuximide