Steady-state pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of immediate-release and extended-release formulations of lamotrigine in elderly epilepsy patients: Use of stable isotope methodology.

A classic 2-period crossover bioavailability study was conducted to evaluate the relative and absolute bioavailability of immediate-release (IR) and extended-release (XR) lamotrigine formulations under steady-state conditions in elderly patients with epilepsy. On treatment days, each subject's morning dose (IR or XR lamotrigine) was replaced with an intravenous 50-mg dose of stable-labeled lamotrigine. Lamotrigine concentrations were measured at 13 points between 0 and 96 hours.

Safety of an intravenous formulation of lamotrigine.

Purpose: Intravenous (IV) formulations are useful when treating patients where oral administration is not possible and to study certain pharmacokinetic parameters such as bioavailability. We developed a stable-labeled IV formulation of lamotrigine (LTG) for studying pharmacokinetics in epilepsy patients.

Methods: Stable-labeled IV LTG was given to 20 persons with epilepsy (6 men; 14 women) with a mean age of 34.

Long-term use of felbamate: clinical outcomes and effect of age and concomitant antiepileptic drug use on its clearance.

Purpose: To determine the effects of long-term use of felbamate (FBM) on weight, complete blood count, liver function tests, and seizure control, and also to determine the effect of age on FBM clearance.

Methods: A computerized prospective database was used to identify all subjects who had FBM listed as one of their antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) during their most recent clinic visit. Medical records from each patient were then reviewed for inclusion criteria [treatment >2 years, FBM initiated at the study clinic, data for pre-FBM (Time-1; T1), one-year exposure to FBM (Time-2; T2), and the latest visit (Time-3; T3)].

Safety of an IV formulation of carbamazepine.

An intravenous formulation of carbamazepine (CBZ) was administered to 113 (60 male; 53 female) persons with epilepsy aged 19-87 years. Subjects received 100mg of study drug as replacement for 100mg of their usual morning dose of CBZ. There were no significant changes in blood pressure or heart rate suggesting that this formulation can be developed as replacement therapy for persons unable to take oral CBZ.

The validity of epilepsy or seizure documentation in nursing homes.

Recent studies have reported that epilepsy and seizures are common in nursing homes. Prevalence has been reported to range from 5 to 9% and antiepileptic drug (AED) use is even more common. Most of these studies have relied on various forms of nursing home records, but the validity of this source data, while assumed, has not been verified.