title: Pregabalin as adjunctive therapy for partial epilepsy: an audit study in 96 patients from the South East of England.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pregabalin (PGB) was licensed in the EU in 2004 as an adjunctive therapy in partial epilepsy. It is also licensed for neuropathic pain and generalised anxiety.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the clinical usefulness and side effects of add-on PGB in out-patient epilepsy clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an audit on 96 consecutive patients (44 male) prescribed PGB for refractory epilepsy. Mean follow-up, for those who remained on PGB, was 23 months (range 12-39 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty patients remained on PGB, 37 of whom reported clear improvement in seizure frequency. Among these 37 patients, 1 was seizure free for 15 months; 29 had a seizure reduction of >50%; and 7 improved by <50%. Eight patients reported a decrease in seizure severity without change in seizure frequency. Nine patients reported an incidental improvement in anxiety. Side effects were reported by 25 patients out of the 50 patients still on treatment: 12 reported drowsiness or tiredness, 8 weight gain, 7 dizziness, 2 headache, 2 cognitive side effects, 1 irritability, 1 itchiness, 1 anxiety, and 1 transient rash. Among the 46 patients who discontinued treatment, 9 had worsening of seizure frequency, 27 lack of efficacy and 9 intolerable side effects necessitating withdrawal (4 dizziness or drowsiness, 2 weight gain, 1 peripheral oedema, 1 pain in arms and legs, 1 irritability and cognitive side effects). One patient had a seizure related death (probably drowning) within 1 month of starting PGB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregabalin seems to be an effective and well-tolerated anti-epileptic drug when used as add-on treatment in patients with refractory partial epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. antonio.valentin@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valentin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hadden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oakes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elwes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Delamont
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mullatti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nashef
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004739:England; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D000069583:Pregabalin; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid