Severe agranulocytosis from carbamazepine.

We describe a case of severe drug-induced agranulocytosis, with the risk of a lethal outcome in a patient with a posttraumatic tetraplegia. Intercurrent complications required numerous medicaments. One month after admission, the neutrophil count decreased for ten days until a nadir of 70.mm(-3), associated with an infectious syndrome. The bone marrow biopsy showed a severe granulocyte hypoplasia with absence of final differentiation. Administration of ienograstime (granulocyte stimulating factor) was efficient, In this patient, carbamazepine was the most probable causal factor for agranulocytosis. However, other medicaments mainly antibiotics, could have been contributing factors. (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.