An oxcarbazepine-related fatality with an overview of 26 oxcarbazepine postmortem cases.
We present an oxcarbazepine-related fatality together with an overview of 26 postmortem cases involving oxcarbazepine observed during the period 2001-2006. The fatality case concerned a 27-year-old woman with epilepsy, who was found dead in her bed. Oxcarbazepine and its active metabolite, 10-hydroxycarbazepine, were the only compounds detected. The concentrations of oxcarbazepine were as follows: femoral blood, 2.9mg/kg; muscle, 1.8mg/kg; liver, 0.9mg/kg; gastric content (300ml), 860mg/kg; and vitreous humour, not detected. The concentrations of 10-hydroxycarbazepine were as follows: femoral blood, 66mg/kg; muscle, 40mg/kg; liver, 62mg/kg; gastric content, 27mg/kg; and vitreous humour, 25mg/kg. The analyses were performed by HPLC-DAD after liquid-liquid extraction. Oxcarbazepine intoxication was regarded as a possible cause of death. For the other 26 cases, the 10-hydroxycarbazepine concentrations ranged from 2.2 to 48mg/kg with a median of 25mg/kg.
The Section of Forensic Chemistry, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. kristian.linnet@forensic.ku.dk
Kristian
K
Linnet
Anni
A
Steentoft
Kirsten W
KW
Simonsen
Anne
A
Sabers
Steen Holger
SH
Hansen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000737:chemistry
C039775:10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxycarbamazepine; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine