title: A range of antiepileptic drugs do not affect the recovery of consciousness in vegetative and minimally conscious states.
abstract: Since most antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have cognitive effects, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of AED therapy on the recovery of consciousness in 103 consecutive patients in a vegetative or minimally conscious state (VS, MCS). The levels of cognitive functioning (LCF) score was retrospectively compared after a three-month period of rehabilitation between patients who were medicated (n=54) and patients who were not medicated (n=49) with AEDs. Mean LCF scores in AED-medicated and nonmedicated patients were 2.2±0.7 and 2.3±0.8 at admission and 3.8±2.2 and 3.7±2.1 after three months, respectively (p values>0.05). These results did not change when we compared patients with the same etiology separately, with the same disorder of consciousness only, or patients treated with only one or more than one AED. In conclusion, AEDs did not affect the recovery of consciousness in a large cohort of patients in a VS or MCS following an acute brain injury.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neurophysiology, Rehabilitation Department, Fondazione Istituto San Raffaele-G. Giglio, Cefalù (PA), Italy. sergiobagnato@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagnato
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boccagni
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sant'angelo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003243:Consciousness / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants