Table 2 Clinical presentation, management and clinical outcomes of patients with carbamazepine intoxication. Continuous variables are presented as average ± SEM, ordinal variables are presented as number and percentage

 No symptoms

11 (13.8)

11 (15.9)

0 (0)

 Drowsiness

58 (72.5)

58 (84.1)

0 (0)

 No response to voice/pain

10 (12.50)

0 (0)

10 (100)

 CBZ level

(Average, mcg/mL)

26.3 ± 1.8

24.4 ± 1.2

40.0 ± 11.1

0.19

CBZ level (mcg/ml):

0.03

 18–20

41 (51.2)

38 (54.3)

3 (30)

 20–30

22 (27.5)

21 (30)

1 (10)

 30–40

10 (12.50)

6 (8.6)

4 (40)

  > 40

7 (8.8)

5 (7.1)

2 (20)

Carbamazepine dose (acute ingestion, mg)

3623.1 ± 568.0

(n = 65)

3338.3 ± 581.9

(n = 58)

5982.9 ± 2064.9

(n = 7)

0.15

Suicide attempt

28 (36)

22 (31.4)

7 (70)

0.02

Other CNS medications:

53 (66.2)

43 (61.4)

10 (100)

0.003

 Benzodiazepines

22 (27.5)

15 (21.4)

7 (70)

0.002

 Anti-epileptics

28 (35)

26 (37.1)

2 (20)

0.27

 Anti-psychotics

12 (15)

9 (12.9)

3 (30)

0.19

 Anti-depressants

9 (11.2)

5 (7.1)

4 (40)

0.01

 Analgesics

3 (3.7)

2 (2.9)

1 (10)

0.34

 Anti-parkinsonians

2 (2.5)

2 (2.9)

1 (10)

0.34

 Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

137.2 ± 2.8

138.3 ± 3.0

129.0 ± 5.9

0.28

 Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

79.5 ± 1.6

80.1 ± 1.7

75.3 ± 5.0

0.33

 Heart rate (BPM)

89. 5 ± 2.0

88.1 ± 2.0

99.1 ± 6. 9

0.07

O₂ Saturation% (n = 56)

94.3 ± 1.1

95.1 ± 0.6

89. 9 ± 6.4

0.44

 ECG abnormalities^a

8 (10)

6 (8.6)

2 (20)

0.52

 Activated charcoal

22 (27.5)

17 (24.3)

5 (50)

0.11

 Nasogastric tube

26 (33)

19 (27.5)

7 (70)

0.01

 Mechanical ventilation

6 (7.5)

2 (2.9)

4 (40)

0.0001

 ICU admission

16 (20)

10 (14.3)

6 (60)

0.002

 Hospital stay (days)

5.9 ± 1.17

5.4 ± 1.29

8.8 ± 2.1

0.34