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Roberti R, Assenza G, Bisulli F, Boero G, Canafoglia L, Chiesa V, Di Bonaventura C, Di Gennaro G, Elia M, Ferlazzo E, Giordano A, La Neve A, Liguori C, Meletti S, Operto FF, Pietrafusa N, Puligheddu M, Pulitano P, Rosati E, Sammarra I, Tartara E, Vatti G, Villani F, Russo E, Lattanzi S. Adjunctive cenobamate in people with focal onset seizures: Insights from the Italian Expanded Access Program. Epilepsia 2024. [PMID: 39140704 DOI: 10.1111/epi.18091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 07/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness/tolerability of adjunctive cenobamate, variations in the load of concomitant antiseizure medications (ASMs) and predictors of clinical response in people with focal epilepsy. METHODS This was a retrospective study at 21 centers participating in the Italian Expanded Access Program. Effectiveness outcomes included retention and responder rates (≥50% and 100% reduction in baseline seizure frequency). Tolerability/safety outcomes included the rate of treatment discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs) and their incidence. Total drug load was quantified as the number of concomitant ASMs and total defined daily dose (DDD). Concomitant ASMs were also classified according to their mechanism of action and pharmacokinetic interactions to perform explorative subgroup analyses. RESULTS A total of 236 subjects with a median age of 38 (Q1-Q3 = 27-49) years were included. At 12 months, cenobamate retention rate was 78.8% and responders were 57.5%. The seizure freedom rates during the preceding 3 months were 9.8%, 12.2%, 16.3%, and 14.0% at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. A higher percentage of responders was observed among subjects treated with clobazam, although the difference was not statistically significant. A total of 223 AEs were recorded in 133 of 236 participants, leading to cenobamate discontinuation in 8.5% cases. At 12 months, a reduction of one or two concomitant ASMs occurred in 42.6% and 4.3% of the subjects. The median total DDD of all concomitant ASMs decreased from 3.34 (Q1-Q3 = 2.50-4.47) at baseline to 2.50 (Q1-Q3 = 1.67-3.50) at 12 months (p < .001, median percentage reduction = 22.2%). The highest rates of cotreatment withdrawal and reductions in the DDD were observed for sodium channel blockers and γ-aminobutyric acidergic modulators (above all for those linked to pharmacokinetic interactions), and perampanel. SIGNIFICANCE Adjunctive cenobamate was associated with a reduction in seizure frequency and in the burden of concomitant ASMs in adults with difficult-to-treat focal epilepsy. The type of ASM associated did not influence effectiveness except for a favorable trend with clobazam.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Roberti
- Science of Health Department, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Giovanni Assenza
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Research Unit of Neurology, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
- Operative Research Unit of Neurology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Bisulli
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, full member of the European Reference Network EpiCARE, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Boero
- Complex Structure of Neurology Hospital Santissima, Annunziata, Taranto, Italy
| | - Laura Canafoglia
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Chiesa
- Epilepsy Center, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Santi Paolo Carlo, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Maurizio Elia
- Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiopathology, Oasi Research Institute, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Troina, Italy
| | - Edoardo Ferlazzo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
- Great Metropolitan Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Alfonso Giordano
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Angela La Neve
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina Traslazionale e Neuroscienze, University Hospital of Bari "A. Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Claudio Liguori
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Neurology Unit, University Hospital of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Meletti
- Neurophysiology Unit and Epilepsy Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Modena, Italy
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Pietrafusa
- Clinical and Experimental Neurology, full member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Puligheddu
- Epilepsy Center, Neurology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Cagliari, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | | | - Ilaria Sammarra
- Institute of Neurology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Elena Tartara
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Mondino Foundation, Epilepsy Center, full member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Vatti
- Unità Operativa Complessa Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Flavio Villani
- Division of Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy Center, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Emilio Russo
- Science of Health Department, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Simona Lattanzi
- Neurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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Roberti R, Di Gennaro G, Anzellotti F, Arnaldi D, Belcastro V, Beretta S, Boero G, Bonanni P, Canafoglia L, D'Aniello A, Dainese F, De Caro C, Di Gennaro G, Di Giacomo R, DiFrancesco JC, Dono F, Falcicchio G, Ferlazzo E, Foschi N, Franciotta S, Gambardella A, Giordano A, Iannone LF, Labate A, La Neve A, Lattanzi S, Leggio U, Liguori C, Maschio M, Nilo A, Operto FF, Pascarella A, Pauletto G, Renna R, Strigaro G, Russo E. A real-world comparison among third-generation antiseizure medications: Results from the COMPARE study. Epilepsia 2024; 65:456-472. [PMID: 38052481 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There are few comparative data on the third-generation antiseizure medications (ASMs). We aimed to assess and compare the effectiveness of brivaracetam (BRV), eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL), lacosamide (LCM), and perampanel (PER) in people with epilepsy (PWE). Efficacy and tolerability were compared as secondary objectives. METHODS This multicenter, retrospective study collected data from 22 Italian neurology/epilepsy centers. All adult PWE who started add-on treatment with one of the studied ASMs between January 2018 and October 2021 were included. Retention rate was established as effectiveness measure and described using Kaplan-Meier curves and the best fitting survival model. The responder status and the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) were used to evaluate efficacy and safety, respectively. The odds of AEs and drug efficacy were estimated by two multilevel logistic models. RESULTS A total of 960 patients (52.92% females, median age = 43 years) met the inclusion criteria. They mainly suffered from structural epilepsy (52.29%) with monthly (46.2%) focal seizures (69.58%). Compared with LCM, all the studied ASMs had a higher dropout risk, statistically significant in the BRV levetiracetam (LEV)-naïve (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-3.29) and PER groups (HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.06-2.55). Women were at higher risk of discontinuing ESL (HR = 5.33, 95% CI = 1.71-16.61), as well as PER-treated patients with unknown epilepsy etiology versus those with structural etiology (HR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.05-2.88). BRV with prior LEV therapy showed lower odds of efficacy (odds ratio [OR] = .08, 95% CI = .01-.48) versus LCM, whereas a higher efficacy was observed in women treated with BRV and LEV-naïve (OR = 10.32, 95% CI = 1.55-68.78) versus men. PER (OR = 6.93, 95% CI = 3.32-14.44) and BRV in LEV-naïve patients (OR = 6.80, 95% CI = 2.64-17.52) had a higher chance of AEs than LCM. SIGNIFICANCE Comparative evidence from real-world studies may help clinicians to tailor treatments according to patients' demographic and clinical characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Roberti
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Di Gennaro
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Dario Arnaldi
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Clinical Neurology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Simone Beretta
- Department of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
| | - Giovanni Boero
- Complex Structure of Neurology, SS Annunziata Hospital, Taranto, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonanni
- Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Conegliano, Treviso, Italy
| | - Laura Canafoglia
- Integrated Diagnostics for Epilepsy, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Filippo Dainese
- Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Clinical Neurology, DIDAS Department, Padua, Italy
| | - Carmen De Caro
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Roberta Di Giacomo
- Epilepsy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Fedele Dono
- Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | | | - Edoardo Ferlazzo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
- Regional Epilepsy Center, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Great Metropolitan Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Foschi
- Neurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Silvia Franciotta
- Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Clinical Neurology, DIDAS Department, Padua, Italy
| | - Antonio Gambardella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Institute of Neurology, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Alfonso Giordano
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Francesco Iannone
- Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Angelo Labate
- Neurophysiopathology and Movement Disorders Clinic, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Angela La Neve
- DiBraiN Department, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Simona Lattanzi
- Neurological Clinic, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Ugo Leggio
- Unit of Neurophysiopathology, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Claudio Liguori
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Neurology Unit, Epilepsy Center, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Maschio
- Center for Tumor-Related Epilepsy, UOSD Neuro-Oncology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Annacarmen Nilo
- Clinical Neurology Unit, Department of Head, Neck, and Neurosciences, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | - Francesca Felicia Operto
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Dentistry, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
| | - Angelo Pascarella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
- Regional Epilepsy Center, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Great Metropolitan Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Giada Pauletto
- Neurology Unit, Department of Head, Neck, and Neurosciences, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | - Rosaria Renna
- Neurology and Stroke Unit, Department of Emergency and Acceptance, AORN Antonio Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Gionata Strigaro
- Neurology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, Epilepsy Center, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
- Maggiore della Carità University Hospital, Novara, Italy
| | - Emilio Russo
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
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Perucca E, Perucca P, White HS, Wirrell EC. Drug resistance in epilepsy. Lancet Neurol 2023:S1474-4422(23)00151-5. [PMID: 37352888 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(23)00151-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance is estimated to affect about a third of individuals with epilepsy, but its prevalence differs in relation to the epilepsy syndrome, the cause of epilepsy, and other factors such as age of seizure onset and presence of associated neurological deficits. Although drug-resistant epilepsy is not synonymous with unresponsiveness to any drug treatment, the probability of achieving seizure freedom on a newly tried medication decreases with increasing number of previously failed treatments. After two appropriately used antiseizure medications have failed to control seizures, individuals should be referred whenever possible to a comprehensive epilepsy centre for diagnostic re-evaluation and targeted management. The feasibility of epilepsy surgery and other treatments, including those targeting the cause of epilepsy, should be considered early after diagnosis. Substantial evidence indicates that a delay in identifying an effective treatment can adversely affect ultimate outcome and carry an increased risk of cognitive disability, other comorbidities, and premature mortality. Research on mechanisms of drug resistance and novel therapeutics is progressing rapidly, and potentially improved treatments, including those targeting disease modification, are on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Perucca
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Piero Perucca
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - H Steve White
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Elaine C Wirrell
- Divisions of Child and Adolescent Neurology and Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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