Lamotrigine and catamenial epilepsy.
Catamenial epilepsy (CE) is characterized by epileptic seizures in the female occurring rhythmatically with the menstrual cycle. Hormonal mechanisms have been proposed as a cause of this epileptic form. Few reports about the efficacy of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) have been published. We studied prospectively women with CE who were treated with lamotrigine (LTG) for a period of 3 months in order to evaluate its efficacy, measuring the progesterone levels before and after LTG at the same time. LTG seemed to be efficacious in 66% of women, meaning the disappearance of seizures or reduction of 50% or more of the number of seizures. The reported side effects were few and mild, and the drug was well tolerated. Serum progesterone levels were found to rise during LTG treatment.
Gilad
Ronit
R
Department of Neurology, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 58100 Holon, Israel. gilad-ar@zahav.net.il
Sadeh
Menachem
M
Rapoport
Abraham
A
Dabby
Ron
R
Lampl
Yair
Y
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008598:Menstruation; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine