Population pharmacokinetics of carbamazepine in Chinese epilepsy patients.

AIM: To investigate the pharmacokinetic profile of carbamazepine (CBZ) in Chinese epilepsy patients.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Serum samples through concentrations at steady state (n = 687) were collected prospectively from 585 patients during routine clinical care. Data were analyzed by the non-linear mixed-effect modeling (NONMEM) technique with a one-compartment model of first-order absorption and elimination.

RESULTS

The important determinants of clearance (CL) were total body weight (TBW); dose; patient age over 65 years (E); and comedication with phenytoin (PHT), phenobarbital (PB), or valproic acid (VPA) when VPA daily dose was greater than 18 mg/kg. The final pharmacokinetic model for relative CL and apparent distribution volume (V) were: Equation

CONCLUSION

A population pharmacokinetic model was proposed to estimate the individual CL for Chinese patients receiving CBZ in terms of patient's dose, TBW, and comedications to establish a priori dosage regimens.