Many medications can impact thyroid function. Antiseizure medications have been shown to disrupt thyroid function in adults, but information is limited about how antiseizure medications may affect thyroid function in children. Oxcarbazepine is an analog of carbamazepine designed to minimize effects from the hepatic P450 metabolic enzymes. We have found that in the pediatric population, serum free thyroxine is reduced and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations are unchanged in patients taking oxcarbazepine with the mechanism thus being central hypothyroidism.
Keywords: brain; risk factors; seizures; status epilepticus; treatment.