The goal of the current study was to evaluate whether SMOF lipid administration could be used as an adjuvant therapy to treat acute, moderate-to-severe carbamazepine poisoning.
Among anticonvulsants, carbamazepine (CBZ) is considered one of the most commonly reported poisonings. Carbamazepine (CBZ) was approved for use as a primary anticonvulsant agent following its initial use for trigeminal neuralgia. Further indications for the drug included treatment for bipolar disorder, resistant schizophrenia, and pain syndromes. The wide availability of carbamazepine increases the potential for overdose, either accidentally or intentionally. The American Association of Poison Control Centres reported 2,562 hazardous exposures to CBZ in 2020. In addition, CBZ was the most commonly used anti-epileptic drug, according to a recent study by the National Centre for Environmental and Clinical Toxicology Research, Cairo, Egypt. CBZ works by blocking presynaptic voltage-gated sodium channels, thereby inhibiting the release of synaptic glutamate and other neurotransmitters. Overdose of CBZ is clinically manifested by nystagmus, nausea, dysarthria, ataxia, sedation, delirium, mydriasis, ophthalmoplegia, and myoclonus. The serious clinical problems resulting from large overdoses of CBZ are cardiotoxicity, respiratory depression, apnea, seizures, and coma. Mortality from CBZ poisoning is uncommon. Because there is no definitive antidote for carbamazepine poisoning, poison control centres recommend supportive therapy based on the patient's clinical condition and multiple-dose activated charcoal (MDAC) as a specific intervention for enhanced elimination. Nevertheless, the elimination of the drug from the body can be prolonged. The scarcity of physiological antidotes for acute poisonings encourages toxicologists to supplement standard supportive treatment protocols with promising agents that tend to improve morbidity and mortality. In this context, intravenous lipid emulsions (ILE) are mainly used as a source of energy and essential fatty acids in patients requiring parenteral nutrition. Apart from their nutritional value, lipid emulsion therapy is becoming increasingly popular in critical care settings as a treatment for toxicity with lipophilic agents, particularly when the standard remedies are ineffective. Following the encouraging outcomes of using ILEs for the treatment of local anaesthetic systemic toxicity, subsequent studies reported the therapeutic effect of ILEs in acute poisonings with other xenobiotics. However, the evidence for the potential effectiveness of ILE in clinical toxicology consists mainly of case reports and experimental studies. In cases of CBZ poisoning, ILE was not evaluated using a randomised control trial (RCT). ILE may be suitable for the treatment of CBZ toxicity due to its lipid solubility. To the best of our knowledge, the effect of ILE therapy on acute carbamazepine poisoning has not been studied sufficiently. SMOF 20%, a blend of soybean oil, medium-chain triglycerides, olive oil, and fish oil, is a new lipid emulsion product that has shown better therapeutic results regarding parentral nutrition when compared with traditional ones such as Intralipid® 20%. It has been associated with decreased oxidative injury, improved liver function, and increased antioxidant activity
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
40
SMOF 20%; a blend of (soybean oil, medium chain triglycerides, olive and fish oil) is a new lipid emulsion product that was provided as a bolus dose of 1.5ml/kg for one hour, followed by a maintenance dose of 6 ml/kg for a period of four hours to the active comparator group
Hypotension was initially treated with isotonic crystalloid; vasopressors were utilised if intravenous fluids failed to restore the hypotension. This was in the form of norepinephrine with a dose of 0.05 μg/kg/min and titrated till reaching the goal mean arterial pressure (\>65 mmHg). Those experiencing seizures due to CBZ overdose were treated with benzodiazepines (diazepam) at a dose of 10-20 mg. Benzodiazepines are considered allosteric modulators of the gamma-aminobutyric acid channel. MDAC (50 grammes every six hours) was given to all patients in the current study. Those with severe poisoning were given the MDAC after securing the airway with a cuffed endotracheal tube
Faculty of Medicine
Alexandria, Egypt
Improvement in Conscious Levels Measured by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
This study evaluates the efficacy of SMOF lipid 20% in improving conscious levels among participants with acute carbamazepine poisoning within 24 hours. Conscious level improvement is assessed using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), a widely recognised tool for neurological assessment. The GCS measures eye opening, verbal response, and motor response, with higher scores indicating better conscious levels. The study aims to determine the extent of improvement in GCS scores following SMOF lipid administration, providing valuable insights into its effectiveness in enhancing neurological function.
Time frame: participants were monitored within 24 hours from admission to the hospital
Assessment of Intubation Requirement Using GCS and APACHE
This study investigates the requirement for intubation and mechanical ventilation among participants with acute carbamazepine poisoning using multiple clinical assessment tools, including the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE). The GCS evaluates the level of consciousness based on eye opening, verbal response, and motor response, with lower scores indicating a higher likelihood of intubation and mechanical ventilation. The APACHE score assesses the severity of illness and predicts the need for respiratory support, with higher scores indicating an increased risk of respiratory failure and the requirement for intervention.
Time frame: participants were assessed within 24 hours from admission to the hospital
Length of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Stay
This study evaluates the length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) among participants with acute carbamazepine poisoning. The length of the ICU stay is defined as the duration from the time of admission to the ICU to discharge from the ICU in days. Participants will be monitored throughout their hospitalisation period, and the length of their ICU stay will be recorded. The study aims to assess the impact of SMOF lipid administration on the duration of ICU stays, providing insights into its effectiveness in optimising resource utilisation and patient management. Understanding the factors influencing the length of the ICU stay may contribute to improved healthcare delivery and patient outcomes in acute carbamazepine poisoning.
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Time frame: Participants will be monitored throughout their hospitalisation period, and the length of their ICU stay will be recorded from date of randomization until the date of last documented progression up to one month
length of hospital stay
This study evaluates the length of stay in the hospital among participants with acute carbamazepine poisoning. The length of stay is defined as the duration from the time of admission to the hospital to discharge from the hospital in days. Participants will be monitored throughout their hospitalisation period, and the length of their hospital stay will be recorded. The study aims to assess the impact of SMOF lipid administration on the duration of hospital stays, providing insights into its effectiveness in optimising resource utilisation and patient management. Understanding the factors influencing length of stay may contribute to improved healthcare delivery and patient outcomes in acute carbamazepine poisoning.
Time frame: Participants will be monitored throughout their hospitalisation period, and the length of their hospital stay will be recorded from date of randomization until the date of last documented progression up to one month