title: Treatment of seizures in acute intermittent porphyria: safety and efficacy of gabapentin.
abstract: Treatment of seizures in acute intermittent porphyria represents a therapeutic dilemma. Patients needing chronic therapy often experience acute porphyric attacks due to increased hepatic metabolism induced by the antiepileptic drugs themselves. Gabapentin is a new antiepileptic drug not appreciably metabolized by the liver in humans, and it appears to be safe and effective in the maintenance therapy of epilepsy in these patients. We report a patient affected by partial and generalized seizures in the course of acute intermittent porphyria, who was safely and successfully treated with gabapentin.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Neurologia, Ospedale Bolognini, Seriate, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zadra
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grandi
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Erli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mirabile
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brambilla
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D017118:Porphyria, Acute Intermittent / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin