Anemia secondary to valproic acid therapy in a 13-year-old boy: A case report

Abstract

Introduction. Valproic acid is a commonly used anti-epileptic drug. Hematological toxicities are among the occasionally observed adverse effects of this medication. Case presentation. We present the case of a 13-year-old Caucasian boy who demonstrated mild anemia 12months after the introduction of valproic acid therapy. A bone marrow biopsy revealed maturation arrest of proerythroblasts. Conclusion: Prompt diagnosis and valproic acid discontinuation resulted in the patients recovery. © 2012 Kaczorowska-Hac et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.