Salivary Anticonvulsant Levels in Children

Abstract

Levels of the anticonvulsant drugs phenobarbitone, phenytoin, carbamazepine and primidone were measured in the plasma and saliva of 202 epileptic children (5 mo. to 18 yr old). GLC and EMIT [Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique] immunoassay were used to analyze the samples. Saliva to plasma ratios were as follows (means .+-. SD), phenobarbitone: GLC, 0.30 .+-. 0.05 (r = 0.94); EMIT, 0.31 .+-. 0.06 (r = 0.92); phenytoin: GLC, 0.11 .+-. 0.02 (r = 0.94); EMIT, 0.12 .+-. 0.04 (r = 0.86); carbamazepine; GLC, 0.26 .+-. 0.05 (r = 0.91); EMIT, 0.25 .+-. 0.06 (r = 0.83); primidone: GLC, 1.04 .+-. 0.24 (r = 0.94); EMIT, 0.95 .+-. 0.20 (r = 0.98). There was good agreement between the 2 methods, and the ratios obtained are the same as those found for adults.