Lamotrigine: clinical experience in 93 patients with epilepsy.
This open study reports the use of lamotrigine in 93 adults and children with drug resistant epilepsy. Lamotrigine was used predominantly as add-on therapy and outcome was assessed by the patient, parents and carers and the physician in terms of reduction of seizure frequency, drug side effects, and importantly with this drug, improvement in quality of life. Twenty five of the 93 patients (26.9%) studied were rendered seizure free with the addition of lamotrigine to their therapy. This was especially the case for patients with complex partial seizures, generalised seizures secondary to brain damage, primary generalised epilepsy and the Lennox Gastaut syndrome. Quality of life improvements were especially striking in patients with seizures secondary to brain damage and in the Lennox Gastaut Syndrome. Twenty eight patients ceased lamotrigine, 13 due to lack of effect and the remainder due to side effects. Lamotrigine is a potentially very useful anti-epileptic medication in persons with complex partial seizures, but also in primary generalised epilepsy, the Lennox Gastaut syndrome and especially in those individuals who have seizures subsequent to brain damage.
Buchanan
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Epilepsy Unit, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Australia.
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014227:Triazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine