title: Safety and tolerability of dapsone for the treatment of patients with drug-resistant, partial-onset seizures: an open-label trial.
abstract: Dapsone has shown anti-convulsive properties in animal models of epilepsy. In the present study, we tested the safety and tolerability of dapsone as adjunctive therapy in adult patients with drug-resistant partial-onset seizures. Twenty-two adult patients with drug-resistant partial-onset seizures were included. After a 3-month baseline period, patients received dapsone 100 mg per day, for a 3-month evaluation period. Plasma concentrations of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) did not significantly change during the study. No alteration of mean clinical laboratory values was observed. The reported adverse events were: mild methemoglobinemia (50%), headache (31.8%), paleness (27.3%) and somnolence (4.5%).Sixteen of 22 patients reduced their seizure frequency in more than 50% as a result of dapsone treatment. Three subjects remained seizure-free during the entire dapsone treatment period. This open-label study of adjunctive dapsone therapy at 100 mg/day suggests that dapsone is safe, and well-tolerated in adults with drug-resistant partial-onset seizures.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Division, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Gómez
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diaz-Ruiz
authors.forename: Camilo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ríos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003622:Dapsone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007917:Leprostatic Agents; D003622:Dapsone