Table 12.2 Effects of Carbamazepine in the Treatment of Aggression
| Author Year Country Research Design PEDro Sample Size | Methods | Outcome |
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Agitation |
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Azouvi et al. (1999) France Pre-Post N=10 |
Population: TBI; Mean Age=33.7 yr; Gender: Male=8, Female=2; Mean GCS Score=5.3; Mean Time Post Injury=58 wk. Treatment: Carbamazepine (mean dose=9.47±2.9 mg/kg/day) for 8 wk. Outcome Measure: Neurobehavioural Rating Scale-Revised (NRS-R), Agitated Behaviour Scale (ABS), Katz Adjustment Scale, and Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE). |
1. Dosage and blood work remained within clinical limits for epilepsy. 2. Total NRS-R and ABS scores showed significant improvement (p=0.02); improvements plateaued after 2 wk. 3. At follow-up, significant improvements were shown for only the irritability (p<0.01), and disinhibition (p<0.05) portions of NRS-R. 4. Global NRS-R significantly decreased from baseline (p=0.01). 5. No significant changes on MMSE were observed (p>0.01). |
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Seizures |
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Wroblewski et al. (1989) USA Pre-Post N=27 |
Population: TBI; Mean Age=24 yr; Gender: Male=22, Female=5. Treatment: Patients taking phenytoin or phenobarbital had these medications stopped and replaced with carbamazepine. Outcome Measure: Occurrence of seizures. | 1. Patients were on the medication due to previous seizures (n=13) or because they were considered high risk for seizures (n=14). 2. For all participants after the medication switch: 10 had a decrease in seizure frequency, 13 had no change, and 4 reported an increase. 3. For the subgroup of participants with previously documented seizures before the medication switch (n=13): 10 had a decrease in seizure frequency, 1 had no change, and 2 had an increase. |