Weight regain after discontinuation of topiramate treatment in patients with migraine: a prospective observational study.

Purpose: To monitor weight regain after therapy discontinuation in patients with migraine experiencing weight loss during topiramate (TPM) treatment.

Methods: Patients with migraine without aura were enrolled in this observational prospective study. Weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, plasma levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin, and ghrelin, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were evaluated before starting TPM (T1), at 3 (T2) and 6 (T3) months of treatment and 6 months after withdrawal of TPM (T4).

The treatment of neonatal seizures: focus on Levetiracetam.

Neonatal crises are a common problem in the first month, where phenobarbital and phenytoin are still the most frequently used medication in treatment. Whereas, Levetiracetam (LEV) is an antiepileptic drug (AED) with an innovative action. Our present review is updated on the current literature regarding the use of LEV in neonatal seizures treatment.

Characterization of the adverse events profile of placebo-treated patients in randomized controlled trials on drug-resistant focal epilepsies.

In epilepsy trials a substantial proportion of patients receiving placebo has some improvement or experience adverse events (AEs) which match those related to active drug. The characterization of factors influencing these responses is crucial for a better comprehension of study results and to improve design of new trials. Seventy-one placebo-controlled, double-blind trials in drug-resistant focal epilepsies has been selected.

Successful Treatment of Refractory Seizures With Rufinamide in Children With Schizencephaly: Report of 3 Cases.

Schizencephaly is an uncommon malformation of cortical development. Patients with schizencephaly present with a broad range of severe neurologic symptoms including pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Rufinamide is a new antiepileptic drug approved for use as adjunctive therapy of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and it is also effective for refractory partial seizures.

Adverse events of placebo-treated, drug-resistant, focal epileptic patients in randomized controlled trials: a systematic review.

Health-related quality of life of patients with epilepsy is heavily influenced by antiepileptic drug (AED) tolerability. However, an accepted method for precise assessment of AED-induced adverse events (AEs) has not yet been established. Assessment of tolerability and of the frequency of predefined AEs among drug-resistant epilepsy patients through an analysis of placebo-treated patients from randomized controlled studies (RCTs) performed in patients with partial onset epilepsies (POS) and evaluation of factors which may influence the occurrence of AEs in these patients are the objectives of this study.

Can ACTH therapy improve the long-term outcome of drug-resistant frontal lobe epilepsy?

Frontal lobe epilepsy is a common focal epilepsy in children and is often difficult to treat. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or steroids have been used for patients with several forms of medically intractable epilepsy. We evaluated the short, medium, and long-term evolution of patients with frontal lobe epilepsy and secondary bilateral synchrony on the EEG, who received ACTH treatment.

Eslicarbazepine acetate: an update on efficacy and safety in epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder. Despite a broad range of commonly used antiepileptic drugs, approximately 30% of patients with epilepsy have drug resistance or encounter significant adverse effects. Eslicarbazepine acetate is a new central nervous system-active compound with anticonvulsant activity whose mechanism of action is by blocking the voltage-gated sodium channel.

Lacosamide in pediatric and adult patients: comparison of efficacy and safety.

Purpose: This multicenter, prospective study investigates the efficacy and safety of lacosamide adjunctive therapy in pediatric and adult patients with uncontrolled epilepsy.

Method: This study was carried out between September 2010 and December 2011 at 16 Italian and 1 German neurologic centers. Lacosamide was added to the baseline therapy at a starting dose of 1 mg/kg/day in patients aged <16 years (group A) and 100 mg daily in subjects aged 16 and older (group B), and titrated to the target dose, ranging from 3 to 12 mg/kg/day or from 100 to 600 mg daily, respectively.

Lacosamide in patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy.

Introduction: Lacosamide is a novel antiepileptic drug licensed in the US and Europe as adjunctive therapy for partial-onset seizures in adults. The efficacy, safety, tolerability and favorable pharmacokinetic profile in the adult population suggest that lacosamide could be of benefit for patients with partial-onset seizures.

Areas Covered: This paper reviews the available evidence and most recent data concerning the efficacy, safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of lacosamide in adults, as well as in the pediatric population.

The adverse event profile of lacosamide: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: Defining the tolerability and safety profile of recently marketed antiepileptic drugs, such as lacosamide (LCM), is a prerequisite for their optimal utilization in clinical practice. We aimed to identify any adverse event (AE) associated with LCM treatment by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We also evaluated the association of serious AEs with LCM, the proportion of study withdrawals due to intolerable AEs at different LCM doses, and whether the tolerability profile of LCM differs according to the disorder in which it was investigated.

Efficacy of rufinamide in drug-resistant epilepsy: a meta-analysis.

Rufinamide is a new orally active antiepileptic drug that has been found to be effective in the treatment of partial seizures and drop attacks associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. We performed a quantitative analysis of the efficacy of this new antiepileptic drug from all double-blind, add-on, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials published to date. Data from 918 patients were studied.

Hormonal and reproductive disturbances in epileptic male patients: emerging issues.

Objective: To review the relationship between epilepsy, antiepileptic drugs and reproductive function.

Methods: Pertinent articles were identified through a computer PubMed search. References of selected articles were hand searched for additional citations.

Pharmacotherapy for children and adolescents with epilepsy.

Introduction: Childhood epilepsies are the most frequent neurological problems that occur in children. Despite the introduction of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) 25-30% of children with epilepsy remain refractory to medical therapy.

Areas Covered: This review aims to highlight the main published data on the treatment of childhood epilepsy.

Focal epilepsy associated with glioneuronal tumors.

Glioneuronal tumors are an increasingly recognized cause of partial seizures that occur primarily in children and young adults. Focal epilepsy associated with glioneuronal tumors is often resistant to pharmacological treatment. The cellular mechanisms underlying the epileptogenicity of glioneuronal tumors remain largely unknown.