Citation

Ghorani-Azam A, Balali-Mood M, Riahi-Zanjani B, Darchini-Maragheh E, Sadegh M. CNS Neurol. Disord. Drug Targets 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Bentham Science Publishers)

DOI

10.2174/1871527319666201207205916

PMID

33290203

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: While phenobarbital (PB) is commonly used for the management of seizures in newborns and pediat-rics, its administration may accompany with acute poisoning. We aimed to review the literature to find out the frequency of PB poisonings in newborns and children with seizures.

METHOD: Literature search was performed by two independent reviewers to find relevant articles about PB toxicity in neo-nates and pediatrics that were treated for seizure.

RESULTS: 18 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included to this systematic review. The main reasons of PB poison-ing in studied patients were therapeutic intoxication. Reported signs of PB poisoning were lethargy, sedation, lack of suck-ing, fever, skin rash, hepatic inflammation and alopecia. Moreover, respiratory depression, encephalopathy, myocardial fail-ure, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone, and coma were among the complications of acute PB toxicity in chil-dren and infants.

CONCLUSION: PB therapy for the management of seizures in newborns and children might be associated with poisoning. Alt-hough supportive and symptomatic treatments are available for PB overdose, it should be administered with caution, using drug monitoring to avoid toxicity.

Language: en

Keywords

neonates.; newborns; pediatrics; Phenobarbital; seizure; toxicity