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  • Title: [The assessment of lamotrigine effectiveness in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy].
    Author: Małowidzka-Serwińska M.
    Journal: Neurol Neurochir Pol; 1998; 32(2):285-93. PubMed ID: 9760548.
    Abstract:
    The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of lamotrigine (LTG, Lamictal) in patients with long-lasting epilepsy. The group of 11 patients, 4F, 7M aged 16-45 years, mean 31.3 years was included in the study. Complex partial seizures and complex partial with sec. generalization ones occurred in 5 patients, only simple and complex partial seizures in 4 and in 2 cases we observed primary generalized nonconvulsive seizures. The mean seizure frequency was 20/month before LTG treatment. The mean duration of epilepsy was 20 years. Monotherapy with carbamazepine was used in 2 patients, 9 took 2 antiepileptic drugs. The time of investigation and treatment was 4 months with 3 control visits. During LTG treatment the number of conventional antiepileptic drugs was reduced in 7 patients. The dose of the basic antiepileptic drug was not changed. We evaluated how LTG had influenced the frequency, severity and duration of seizures, patients' mental state and adverse events appearance. Good result of treatment--seizure frequency reduction at least 50%--was observed in 5 patients (45.5%), moderate--seizure frequency reduction below 50%--in 1 patient (9%), bad result--no change in seizure frequency or its increase--in 5 cases (45.5%). In 5 patients the drug influenced positively seizure severity and duration. Beneficial psychotropic effect of the drug was found in 2 patients with mental disturbances. Adverse effects occurred in 3 patients. They were vertigo and ataxia in 1 patient, drowsiness in 1 case and dyspeptic symptoms in 1 patient. Adverse events were mild and transient in 2 patients. In 1 patient with vertigo and ataxia they resulted in the drug being discontinued after 3 month treatment. On the whole lamotrigine shows a positive influence on the frequency, severity and duration of seizures in some patients with therapy resistant epilepsy. The drug is well tolerated and seems to have positive psychotropic effects.
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