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Title: Outcome evaluation of gabapentin as add-on therapy for partial seizures. "NEON" Study Investigators Group. Neurontin Evaluation of Outcomes in Neurological Practice. Author: Bruni J. Journal: Can J Neurol Sci; 1998 May; 25(2):134-40. PubMed ID: 9604135. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The safety, tolerability, efficacy, and impact on quality of life of gabapentin (Neurontin) as adjunctive therapy to carbamazepine (CBZ) and/or phenytoin (PHT) was assessed in epileptic patients with partial seizures. METHODS: NEON (Neurontin Evaluation of Outcomes in Neurological Practice) was an open-label, prospective, multicentre study conducted in patients on a stable dose of CBZ and/or PHT and experiencing an average of up to 4 complex partial seizures with or without secondary generalization per month, with no seizure-free months. The treatment lasted 20 weeks. Gabapentin was started at 400 mg/day and was individually titrated to effective tolerable dose up to 2400 mg/day. Quality of life was evaluated using the QOLIE-10 questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 141 patients were enrolled at 36 sites; 114 patients were evaluable for efficacy analyses. The mean maintenance dose of gabapentin was 1600 mg/day (range = 300-3200). A decrease of 50% or more in frequency of complex partial + secondary generalized seizures was observed in 81 (71%) patients (p = 0.0001). Fifty two (46%) patients were seizure-free during the last 8 weeks of treatment. A significant improvement (p < 0.05) was observed in 5 of the 10 questions of the QOLIE-10, as well as in the composite QOL score (p = 0.0002). The most frequent adverse events included somnolence (16%), dizziness (9%), and asthenia (6%). Twenty-five (18%) patients prematurely discontinued the study, 16 (11%) of them due to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that treatment with gabapentin as adjunctive therapy to standard antiepileptic drugs in this group of patients not only provides significant improvement in seizure control, but also has a positive impact on quality of life. The clinical benefits in efficacy, safety and tolerability demonstrated at 20 weeks are sustained, and no tolerance develops with gabapentin in longer term use.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]