Acute Phenobarbital Poisoning for the Management of Seizures in Newborns and Children; A Systematic Literature Review

Title:Acute Phenobarbital Poisoning for the Management of Seizures in Newborns and Children; A Systematic Literature Review

Volume: 20 Issue: 2

Author(s): Adel Ghorani-Azam, Mahdi Balali-Mood, Bamdad Riahi-Zanjani, Emadodin Darchini-Maragheh and Mahmood Sadeghi*

Affiliation:

• Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand,Iran

Keywords: Phenobarbital, seizure, newborns, pediatrics, toxicity, neonates.

Abstract:

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

Method: A literature search was performed by two independent reviewers to find relevant articles about PB toxicity in neonates and pediatrics that were treated for the seizure.

Results: 18 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. The main reasons for PB poisoning in studied patients were therapeutic intoxication. Reported signs of PB poisoning were lethargy, sedation, lack of sucking, fever, skin rash, hepatic inflammation and alopecia. Moreover, respiratory depression, encephalopathy, myocardial failure, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone, and coma were among the complications of acute PB toxicity in children and infants.

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

Cite this article as:

Ghorani-Azam Adel , Balali-Mood Mahdi , Riahi-Zanjani Bamdad , Darchini-Maragheh Emadodin and Sadeghi Mahmood *, Acute Phenobarbital Poisoning for the Management of Seizures in Newborns and Children; A Systematic Literature Review, CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets 2021; 20 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871527319666201207205916