Notable persons
John Belluso, writer for the CBS television show Ghost Whisperer, used a wheel chair from the age of 13 because of the Camurati–Engelmann syndrome. He died on February 10, 2006, at the age of 36 in New York City. References
Further reading
Camurati-Engelmann disease on Genetic Home Reference
GeneReviews/NCBI/NIH/UW entry on Camurati-Engelmann Disease
Wallace, Stephanie E.; Wilcox, William R. (1 January 1993). Camurati-Engelmann Disease. GeneReviews. University of Washington, Seattle. PMID 20301335. == External links ==
There is some evidence to support its effectiveness in reducing seizure frequency when used as an add-on therapy for drug-resistant focal epilepsy but there are concerns over tolerability. Pregnancy
There is limited data analyzing the impact of oxcarbazepine on a human fetus. Animal studies have shown increased fetal abnormalities in pregnant rats and rabbits exposed to oxcarbazepine during pregnancy. In addition, oxcarbazepine is structurally similar to carbamazepine, which is considered to be teratogenic in humans (pregnancy category D). Oxcarbazepine should only be used during pregnancy if the benefits justify the risks.Pregnant women on oxcarbazepine should be closely monitored, as plasma levels of the active metabolite licarbazepine have been shown to potentially decrease during pregnancy. Breastfeeding
Oxcarbazepine and its metabolite licarbazepine are both present in human breast milk and thus, some of the active drug can be transferred to a nursing infant. When considering whether to continue this medication in nursing mothers, the impact of the drugs side effect profile on the infant, should be weighed against its anti-epileptic benefit for the mother. Side effects
Side effects are dose-dependent. The most common include dizziness, blurred or double vision, nystagmus, ataxia, fatigue, headaches, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, difficulty in concentration and mental sluggishness.Other rare side effects of oxcarbazepine include severe low blood sodium (hyponatremia), anaphylaxis / angioedema, hypersensitivity (especially if experienced with carbamazepine), toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens–Johnson syndrome, and thoughts of suicide.Measurement of serum sodium levels should be considered in maintenance treatment or if symptoms of hyponatremia develop.