Relation between serum vitamin B₁₂ level and duration of treatment with carbamazepine in epilepsy patients

Abstract

<p class="Abstract">Vitamin B<sub>12</sub> levels in the serum of 58 epileptic patients receiving only carbamazepine for at least 6 months were measured. Same number of epilepsy patients with no history of taking antiepileptic medicine were taken as control. The mean level of vitamin B<sub>12</sub> in carbamazepine-treated epileptic patients was 265.5 pg/mL whereas it was 478.3 pg/mL in control. Increased duration of treatment of carbamazepine in epilepsy caused significantly decreased level of serum vitamin B<sub>12 </sub>(Pearson correlation coefficient, r = -0.9, p<0.0001). In conclusion, serum vitamin B<sub>12</sub> level significantly decreased in relation to duration of carbamazepine treatment in epileptic patients.</p>

A case of carbamazepine-induced vitamin B12 deficiency and neuropathy

“…There were a few studies which have reported a decrease in level of B12 with carbamazepine but none of these have mentioned about neurological symptoms. [7][8][9] However two studies did not find a reduction in B12 levels. 10,11 Many of these studies were done to check the effect of long term antiepileptic therapy on cardiovascular risk due to elevated homocysteine levels as a result of vitamin B6, B12, folic acid deficiencies.…”