Rapid infusion of sodium valproate in acutely ill children

Birnbaum, Angela K; Kriel, Robert L; Norberg, Shani K; Wical, Beverly S; Le, Duy N; Leppik, Ilo E; Cloyd, James C

doi:10.1016/S0887-8994(03)00019-5

« Previous Next »Pediatric Neurology
Volume 28, Issue 4 , Pages 300-303, April 2003

Rapid infusion of sodium valproate in acutely ill children

Angela K Birnbaum, PhD
- Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, Epilepsy Research and Education Program, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Communications should be addressed to: Dr. Birnbaum; University of Minnesota; Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology; College of Pharmacy; 7-170 WDH; 308 Harvard St. S.E.; Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Robert L Kriel, MD
- Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, Epilepsy Research and Education Program, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Shani K Norberg, MD
- Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Beverly S Wical, MD
- Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Duy N Le, PharmD
- Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, Epilepsy Research and Education Program, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Ilo E Leppik, MD
- Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, Epilepsy Research and Education Program, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- MINCEP® Epilepsy Care, St. Louis Park, Minnesota, USAPreliminary data was presented in the form of an abstract/poster at the annual American Epilepsy Society in December 1999.
James C Cloyd, PharmD
- Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, Epilepsy Research and Education Program, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Received 15 August 2002; accepted 25 November 2002.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical safety of sodium valproate and total and unbound valproic acid plasma concentrations after rapid infusion in hospitalized, acutely ill children. Four children (5-15 years) completed the study. Sodium valproate doses (8.3-15.4 mg/kg) were administered in ≤15 minutes. No clinically significant changes in vital signs were observed nor were there any significant adverse events. Both total and unbound valproic acid concentrations were higher at 0.5 hour than at pre-infusion or 6 hours after infusion. Rapid administration of valproate to acutely ill patients can be done safely. Unbound valproic acid concentrations in acutely ill as compared with relatively healthy epilepsy patients were higher and could not be predicted based on their total pre-infusion valproic acid concentrations.Birnbaum AK, Kriel RL, Norberg SK, Wical BS, Le DN, Leppik IE, Cloyd JC. Rapid infusion of sodium valproate in acutely ill children.

Keywords: Valproate, rapid infusion, pharmacokinetic