Posted by Quintal on April 24, 2008, at 8:48:24
In reply to Re: Starting Lamictal, posted by henryo on April 24, 2008, at 4:28:43
I think I got the 1 in 10 figure from here:
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Dermatological Events (see BOX WARNING, WARNINGS)
Serious rashes associated with hospitalization and discontinuation of LAMICTAL have been reported. Rare deaths have been reported, but their numbers are too few to permit a precise estimate of the rate. There are suggestions, yet to be proven, that the risk of rash may also be increased by (1) coadministration of LAMICTAL with valproate, (2) exceeding the recommended initial dose of LAMICTAL, or (3) exceeding the recommended dose escalation for LAMICTAL. However, cases have been reported in the absence of these factors.
In epilepsy clinical trials, approximately 10% of all patients exposed to LAMICTAL developed a rash. In the Bipolar Disorder clinical trials, 14% of patients exposed to LAMICTAL developed a rash. Rashes associated with LAMICTAL do not appear to have unique identifying features. Typically, rash occurs in the first 2 to 8 weeks following treatment initiation. However, isolated cases have been reported after prolonged treatment (e.g., 6 months). Accordingly, duration of therapy cannot be relied upon as a means to predict the potential risk heralded by the first appearance of a rash.
Although most rashes resolved even with continuation of treatment with LAMICTAL, it is not possible to predict reliably which rashes will prove to be serious or life threatening.
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/lamotrigine_wcp.htm
__________________________________________________So according to this source, in bipolar trials 14% of patients developed a rash - slightly more than 1 in 10.
Q
poster:Quintal
thread:822705
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080420/msgs/825136.html