Sodium Valproate and Thrombocytopenia

The document reported a case of a 6-year-old boy who developed thrombocytopenia while being treated with sodium valproate as the sole anticonvulsant. Despite being seizure-free for eight months on a regimen of 400 mg four times a day, the boy experienced hair loss, spontaneous bruising, prolonged bleeding time, and a significantly reduced platelet count of 15 x 10^9/L. These symptoms were attributed to sodium valproate, as other coagulation tests were normal, and the drug was subsequently discontinued. This case highlighted the potential for sodium valproate to cause thrombocytopenia even when used alone, adding to previous reports of similar issues when used in combination with other anticonvulsants.