Agranulocytosis associated with carbamazepine, and a positive reaction with anti-lymphoid leukaemia antiserum during recovery.

Carbamazepine is a valuable drug in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia and temporal lobe epilepsy. Rarely agranulocytosis has been described associated with its use but in this further non-fatal case a new finding of a positive reaction with anti-lymphoid leukaemia anti-serum was seen during the recovery phase. A brief review of 18 cases in the literature is provided and it is noted that 94% of reported cases are over the age of 45 years. The significance of the haematological finding is discussed.