title: Do antipsychotic drugs increase seizure frequency in epilepsy patients?
abstract: To investigate whether addition of antipsychotic drugs (APD) would increase seizure frequency in epilepsy patients who were already treated with anti-epileptic drugs (AED), we compared a one-year seizure control outcome in 150 epilepsy patients with APD treatment for psychiatric conditions and 309 epilepsy patients without APD treatment matched for ages at epilepsy onset and the baseline evaluation and types of epilepsy. The seizure frequency was recorded at the baseline (immediately before the start of APD) and after the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th months. The seizure outcome at each of the four follow-up points was compared with the baseline. The seizure outcome was compared between the two groups as a whole and according to the types of epilepsy (idiopathic generalized and partial epilepsies). In the APD group, the seizure outcome was also analyzed according to the types of APD (first and second generation APD and combination of first and second generation APD) and the types of psychiatric conditions (psychosis and non-psychosis). The seizure outcome was significantly better in the APD group than control group at all the four follow-up points. According to the epilepsy types, the improvement in the seizure outcome was only observed in the patients with partial epilepsy. Of the APD group, there was no significant difference in the seizure outcome according to the types of APD or the psychiatric conditions. In epilepsy patients who are already treated with AED, APD treatment seems safe in seizure control outcome for treatment of psychiatric conditions.
authors.affiliation: National Centre Hospital, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsutoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.affiliation: National Centre Hospital, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan; Adachi Mental Clinic, Sapporo, Japan. Electronic address: adacchan@tky2.3web.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.affiliation: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nozomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akanuma
authors.affiliation: Asai Hospital, Togane, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.affiliation: National Centre Hospital, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan; Jozen Clinic, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: National Centre Hospital, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan; Musashino Kokubunji Clinic, Kokubunji, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: National Centre Hospital, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan; Musashino Kokubunji Clinic, Kokubunji, Japan.
authors.forename: Teiichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Onuma
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: Antipsychotic drugs; Epilepsy; Psychosis; Seizure; Treatment