title: Gabapentin as adjunctive therapy for partial seizures.
abstract: The safety, tolerability, and efficacy of gabapentin as adjunctive therapy were assessed in epileptic patients who had experienced up to four complex partial seizures per month while receiving phenytoin and/or carbamazepine. This was a multicenter, open-label prospective study, with the treatment period lasting 20 weeks. The gabapentin dosage was titrated to effective tolerated dose up to 2400 mg/day. Quality of life was evaluated with the QOLIE-10 questionnaire. A total of 141 patients were enrolled; 114 patients were evaluated for efficacy analysis. The mean maintenance dose of gabapentin was 1600 mg/day. Seventy-one percent of patients (81 patients) experienced a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency and 46% (52 patients) became seizure free. The most frequent adverse effects included drowsiness (16%), dizziness (9%), and asthenia (6%). Sixteen patients (11%) discontinued the study prematurely because of adverse events. A significant improvement was observed in five of the 10 questions of the QOLIE-10.
authors.affiliation: St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bruni
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D004244:Dizziness / Q000139:chemically induced; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D002220:Carbamazepine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D010672:Phenytoin; D000077206:Gabapentin