title: Suicidal risk and suicide attempts in people treated with antiepileptic drugs for epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether antiepileptic drugs constitute in themselves an independent risk factor for suicidality in patients with epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty one patients with epilepsy were recruited and followed-up during 5 years. A detailed medical history, neurological examination, EEGs, Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, executive function, and MRI were assessed. Systematically collected data were used to assess suicidality. Multiple regression analysis was carried out to examine predictive associations between clinical variables, psychiatric disorders, antiepileptic drugs and suicidality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified two AEDs related with suicide attempts (PHB and LTG) and four with suicidal risk: PHB, PRM, PHT and LTG, but the increased of risk diminished or disappeared when psychiatric comorbidity and other well established risk factors for suicidality were analyzed. We found a significant proportion of patients with depressive episodes associated with Topiramate, Phenitoin, Phenobarbital and Lamotrigine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antiepileptic drugs probably do not have an impact on suicidality.
authors.affiliation: National Neurology Institute, 29 street e/t D and E, Vedado, Plaza, Havana City, Cuba. rene@inn.sld.cu
authors.forename: René Andrade
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Arlety García
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: Daliván
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Melendrez
authors.forename: Yamila Remón
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Víctor Frades
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Yaima Quintana
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000009:adverse effects; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000009:adverse effects; D000091402:Prohibitins; D012307:Risk Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D014227:Triazines / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; C000717328:PHB protein, human; D000091402:Prohibitins; D014227:Triazines; D010672:Phenytoin; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D010634:Phenobarbital