Perampanel-induced weight gain depends on level of intellectual disability and its serum concentration

The safety of perampanel in different disorders and doses: A meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To investigate the safety of perampanel in different disorders and doses.

METHODS

Embase, the Cochrane Library, Medline, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to July 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The meta-analysis was performed by using Review Manager 5.3 and R 4.2.1 software.

RESULTS

A total of 17 RCTs with 5711 subjects were included in the final analysis. The double-blind treatment phase was from 12 weeks to 48 weeks. Our results showed that 11 adverse events (aggression, ataxia, balance disorder, dizziness, fall, fatigue, irritability, rash, somnolence, vertigo, and weight increase) were statistically significantly associated with perampanel, and 4 of them (ataxia, dizziness, fatigue, and somnolence) showed a clear dose-response relationship. Psychiatric adverse events occurred most frequently among serious treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). At 8 mg/day, seven adverse events (aggression, balance disorder, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, vertigo, and weight increase) occurred more frequently in patients with epilepsy than in patients with other disorders, whereas dose discontinuation rates due to adverse events were lower in patients with epilepsy than in patients with other disorders.

CONCLUSION

The safety profile of perampanel is dependent on diseases and dose. The risk of adverse events was statistically significantly higher, with doses exceeding 4 mg/day. Despite a higher risk of adverse events, patients with epilepsy had a lower perampanel discontinuation rate than patients with other disorders.

Effectiveness and tolerability of adjunctive perampanel in pediatric patients (aged 4-12 years) with refractory epilepsy: An observational study

Information on the effects of perampanel in Chinese children ≤12 years of age with refractory epilepsy is limited; thus, we conducted an observational study to assess the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive perampanel in this pediatric population. In this study, we reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients aged 4 to 12 years with refractory epilepsy who were admitted to Children's Hospital of Soochow University and prescribed perampanel between January 2020 and January 2021. Effectiveness of perampanel was measured by 50% responder rates, seizure-freedom rates, and retention rates for up to 48 weeks. Adverse events were monitored and recorded throughout the study. A total of 34 patients (male, n = 15) who exhibited refractory epilepsy were included in this study, and 64.71% of patients had focal-onset seizures combined with generalized epilepsy. The mean (± standard deviation) age of patients was 7.21 (± 2.12) years, with a mean (± standard deviation) age at seizure onset of 4.57 (± 2.59) years. After the addition of perampanel, the 50% responder rates at 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks were 37.50% (12/32), 43.75% (14/32), 53.13% (17/32), 59.38% (19/32), 59.38% (19/32), and 62.07% (18/29). Two patients withdrew from perampanel treatment due to adverse events in the first 2 weeks. Adverse events were reported by 44.12% (15/34) of patients, and the retention rates at 36 and 48 weeks were 94.12% (32/34) and 85.29% (29/34), respectively. Overall, perampanel exhibited good effectiveness, safety, and tolerability in the treatment of pediatric patients (aged 4-12 years) with refractory epilepsy. These findings suggest that personalized treatment and better baseline seizure control may increase the responder rate and retention rate of perampanel.

Impact of Antiseizure Medications on Appetite and Weight in Children

There are numerous potential factors that may affect growth in children with epilepsy, and these must be evaluated in any child with appetite and weight concerns. Antiseizure medications (ASMs) have potential adverse effects, and many may affect appetite, thus impacting normal growth and weight gain. The aim of this review is to focus on the impact of both epilepsy and ASMs on appetite and weight in children. We systematically reviewed studies using Medline assessing the impact of ASMs on appetite and weight in children. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials and open-label studies (open-label extension and interventional) that targeted or included the pediatric population (0-18 years of age). Each study was classified using the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Classification of Evidence for Therapeutic Studies, and the level of evidence for impact on appetite and weight in children was graded. ASMs associated with decreased appetite and/or weight loss include fenfluramine, topiramate, zonisamide, felbamate, rufinamide, stiripentol, cannabidiol, brivaracetam and ethosuximide; ASMs with minimal impact on weight and appetite in children include oxcarbazepine, eslicarbazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, lacosamide, carbamazepine, vigabatrin and clobazam. The ASM most robustly associated with increased appetite and/or weight gain is valproic acid; however, both pregabalin and perampanel may also lead to modest weight gain or increased appetite in children. Certain ASMs may impact both appetite and weight, which may lead to increased morbidity of the underlying disease and impaired adherence to the treatment regimen.