A quantitative study of daytime sleepiness induced by carbamazepine and add-on vigabatrin in epileptic patients.
BACKGROUND
The clinical relevance of daytime sleepiness associated with carbamazepine (CBZ) and vigabatrin (VGB) was objectively assessed by the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and nocturnal sleep recordings.


METHODS
Twenty-six patients with partial epilepsy and mean monthly seizure frequency of 4, aged 18 to 48 years, receiving chronic monotherapy with CBZ and subsequent VGB addition for 2 months (14 patients), were compared with a group of healthy subjects. Subjective daytime sleepiness was complained by 13 patients on CBZ monotherapy and 9 patients during VGB add-on treatment.


RESULTS
No differences in nocturnal sleep parameters, but significantly shorter daytime sleep latencies at the MSLT, were detected in CBZ-treated patients as compared with healthy controls. Addition of VGB therapy did not further enhance objective daytime sleepiness.


CONCLUSIONS
Some sleepiness occurs in chronically CBZ-treated epileptic patients, which can be objectively measured by the MSLT, but it is not aggravated by add-on VGB.
Bonanni
E
E
Department of Neurosciences, University of Pisa, Italy.
Massetani
R
R
Galli
R
R
Gneri
C
C
Petri
M
M
Iudice
A
A
Murri
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D012894:Sleep Stages; D020888:Vigabatrin; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D020888:Vigabatrin