A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of topiramate in adult patients with refractory partial epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
The efficacy and safety of topiramate (TPM) as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of adult Chinese patients with refractory partial epilepsy were investigated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.


METHODS
A total of 46 patients who had four or more complex partial seizures with or without secondary generalization within an 8-week baseline phase were enrolled. Patients were assigned randomly to receive TPM (n = 23) or placebo (n = 23). TPM or placebo was titrated to target doses of 300 mg/d for 6 weeks and maintained at stabilized levels for another 8 weeks. Concomitant antiepileptic drugs remained at constant previous levels during the trial.


RESULTS
In all, 41 patients completed the trial (TPM group, n = 20; placebo group, n = 21). The proportion of patients with a > or =50% reduction from baseline in complex partial seizures was 11 of 23 (47.8%) in the TPM group and 3 of 23 (13.0%) in the placebo group (p = 0.01). In addition, patients treated with TPM had significantly better investigator (p = 0.014) and patient (p = 0.0005) global assessment scores than patients in the placebo group. Adverse events were mostly mild and transient, with no significant differences between treatment groups. Two patients with TPM therapy complained of weight loss. Routine blood cell counts and other laboratory results showed no significant changes from baseline in either treatment group.


CONCLUSIONS
TPM 300 mg/d is effective and well tolerated as treatment for refractory partial epilepsy in adults.
Yen
D J
DJ
Department of Neurology, The Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Yu
H Y
HY
Guo
Y C
YC
Chen
C
C
Yiu
C H
CH
Su
M S
MS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004244:Dizziness / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D000077236:Topiramate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010919:Placebos; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose