[Correlation of carbamazepine levels in blood with clinical poisoning states, evaluated with the help of the APACHE II system and the Matthew coma scale].

Acute carbamazepine (CBZ) poisoning occurs recently quite often. Symptomatology of poisoning is variable but usually various degrees of consciousness impairment prevail. 77 patients (36 women and 41 man, mean age 31.5) were hospitalized last two years in this Centre. Clinical condition was evaluated in a regular descriptive way, classifying the degree of coma according to the Matthew scale but also by calculating the scores according to APACHE II and TOXSCORE. Serum CBZ was measured. A slight falling trend was found of the relation of the serum CBZ in the range 6-37.8 micrograms/ml (38 micrograms/ml = median) to APACHE II score and the TOXSCORE and slight rising trend of the relation of the serum CBZ to the degree of coma. The significance of this trend rose essentially at the serum CBZ levels of more than the median 38 micrograms/ml. The causes of the non significant correlation of serum CBZ (in particularly range) to the clinical condition is discussed. The individuals factors of the patient and possible effect of other, unknown drugs taken together with CBZ seem to play a minor role at the concentrations above 38 micrograms/ml. A very precise correlation has been found at the serum concentrations exceeding 40 micrograms/ml.