Oxcarbazepine as a mood stabiliser.

Abstract

Carbamazepine as a mood stabiliser: A well-known mood stabiliser. Oxcarbazepine is a metabolite of carbamazepine and works as an anti-epileptic, but it has a more favourable pharmacological profile. Researchers have been studying its mood stabilising effect in bipolar disorders for decades. We have carried out a retrospective study of 7 patient charts.

Results:

7 women; average age: 44 years old; onset of bipolar disorder at the age of 32.

Continous use of oxcarbazepine: 26.1 months and continuous use of the previous mood stabiliser: 20.6 months. The percentage of time spent in euthymia improved from an average of 48% with the previous mood stabiliser to 62% with oxcarbazepine. The percentage of time spent ill both of (hypo)mania and of depression decreased respectively from 24% to 18% and from 25% to 19% with the use of oxcarbazepine. Improvement occurred with 4 of the 7 patients.

Conclusion:

These results are in accordance with the literature. Oxcarbazepine has the advantage of fewer (drug-to drug) interactions than carbamazepine.