Twenty percent of a representative sample of patients taking bupropion have abnormal, asymptomatic electroencephalographic findings.
The risk of dose-dependent seizures is a safety issue with bupropion hydrochloride. To evaluate the presence of specific electroencephalographic (EEG) waveforms, 210 adult subjects taking stable doses of bupropion hydrochloride were recruited to undergo 2 EEGs in a prospective, single-center cohort study. The occurrence of spike waves, sharp waves, and focal slowing was recorded and assessed with a continuation ratio logit model for polytomous responses. This model showed that there was a relationship between sex and the incidence of these waveforms, such that the odds of female subjects having sharp waves was increased by a factor of 2.53 (P = 0.05) when compared with male subjects and controlled for both age and dose. Similarly, female subjects were 2.45 (P = 0.09) times more likely than males to have focal slowing on EEG. Overall, 19.8% (39/197) of this representative population was found to have abnormal, asymptomatic EEG findings. The presence of these waveforms in individuals taking a medication known to lower the seizure threshold may be a risk factor for developing seizures.
Macaluso
Matthew
M
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Wichita, KS 67214, USA. mmacaluso@kumc.edu
Zackula
Rosey
R
D'Empaire
Inna
I
Baker
Bryan
B
Liow
Kore
K
Preskorn
Sheldon H
SH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016642:Bupropion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D012737:Sex Factors
D016642:Bupropion