lamotrigine and serious skin reactions
Last reviewed 01/2018
A skin rash occurs in 5-10% of patients treated with lamotrigine (typically within the first 6 weeks of treatment). Serious skin reactions occur in about 1 in 1000 patients, including Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. The risk of serious skin reactions is much higher in children with a frequency of 1:300 to 1:100 (1).
Risk factors for the development of skin reactions include (2):
- concomitant use of sodium valproate
- exceeding the starting dose of lamotrigine
- exceeding rate of dose excalation of lamotrigine
Reference:
- Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin (1992), 30 , 75-76.
- Current problems in pharmacovigilance (1997), 23, 8.