High incidence of a concentration-dependent skin reaction in children treated with phenytoin.

A particularly high incidence of rash was seen in children with epilepsy treated with phenytoin. Ten children with untreated epilepsy were therefore included in a prospective study and given either 3 (group 1) or 6 (group 2) mg of phenytoin/kg body weight/day for five days followed by 6 mg/kg body weight/day for both groups. Four of the five children in group 2 compared with only one of the five in group 1 developed a rash seven to 12 days after the start of treatment.

Pharmacokinetics of oxazepam given during labour.

The transfer across the placenta and the maternal and neonatal kinetics of oxazepam and its conjugate was studied in 12 patients and their newborns. Oxazepam was readily absorbed and peak plasma concentrations were similar to those in healthy non-pregnant volunteers. When meperidine was given within one hour of the dose of oxazepam the absorption was delayed but the bioavailability did not decrease.