Acute porphyria and multiple organ failure during treatment with lamotrigine
Gregersen, H.; Nielsen, J.S.; Peterslund, N.A.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 158(28): 4091-4092
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 8701527 Document Number: 466943
A 38-year-old female suffered from an acute porphyric attack, multi-organ failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) within two weeks of starting lamotrigine, a new antiepileptic drug. The porphyric attack was characterized by excess urinary excretion of aminolevulinic acid (ALA), porphobilinogen (PBG) and coproporphyrin III, a pattern similar to that seen in hereditary coproporphyria, however the diagnostic criteria for this specific porphyria were not fulfilled. We suggest that the observed clinical picture represents a rare adverse reaction to lamotrigine.