The effectiveness and safety of lacosamide in children with epilepsy in a clinical practice setting

Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive Lacosamide therapy for focal seizures in young children aged ≥1 month to ≤4 years: A real-world study

AIMS

To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive lacosamide therapy against focal seizures in young children (1 month - 4 years).

METHODS

This non-randomized, open-label, and self-controlled real-world study included 105 children (1 month-4 years) with focal seizures treated with adjunctive lacosamide therapy at Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.

RESULTS

(1) The 50% response rates at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of follow-up were 58.1%, 61.0%, 57.1%, and 56.2%, while the seizure-free rates were 27.6%, 34.3%, 32.4%, and 37.1%, respectively. The 50% response rate of the first addition of lacosamide for focal seizures was much higher than the second and later added treatment at 3 months (p = 0.038). After 1 year of follow-up, these children showed an improvement in neurodevelopmental levels (p < 0.05). (2) Lacosamide retention rate was 72.7% (64/88) after 1 year of follow-up. Lack of efficacy and serious adverse events were independent risk factors for the lacosamide retention rate. (3) During adjunctive lacosamide therapy, 13 (12.4%) patients reported adverse events and five (4.7%) patients withdrew due to adverse events, including vomiting drowsiness, ataxia (0.94%), neck itching with eczema (0.94%), irritability (1.88%), and gastrointestinal discomfort (0.94%).

CONCLUSION

Adjunctive lacosamide therapy was effective, safe, and well-tolerated in young Chinese children with focal seizures in this study.

Effectiveness and safety of Lacosamide in pediatric patients with epilepsy under four years: Results from a prospective cohort study in China

BACKGROUND

Lacosamide (LCM) has shown promising efficacy and safety outcomes in clinical trials. However, the evidence is limited among pediatric patients especially under four years in real-world. The study investigated the treatment outcomes and safety of LCM in patients under four years based on the data of the epilepsy registry of Children in China.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted among patients under 4 years who newly received LCM as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy. The treatment outcomes were measured by retention rate of LCM, 50 % response rates and seizure-free rates during follow-up. The retention rate of LCM was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier survival model. Adverse events were reported as a percentage of all participants.

RESULTS

Of 109 participants (mean follow-up: 18.6 months), 59 received LCM as monotherapy and 50 as adjunctive therapy. Sixty patients had focal epilepsy, 44 had generalized epilepsy and 5 had combined generalized and focal epilepsy. 70 % of patients in the monotherapy group and 41 % in the adjunctive therapy group remained on LCM treatment without additional treatments for at least one year. In patients with monotherapy, 50 % response rate and seizure-free rate were 75 % and 56 % at 12 months, respectively. In adjunctive therapy group, these rates were 51 % and 36 %, respectively. Lower baseline seizure frequency in both treatment groups (monotherapy: p < 0.001; adjunctive therapy: p = 0.02) and younger age groups within the monotherapy group (P = 0.04) correlated with a higher LCM retention rate. Adverse events were reported by 15 patients (13.8 %), with somnolence being the most common (7 of 15 patients).

CONCLUSION

With a comprehensive information and high-quality of data, the study demonstrates the effective treatment outcome and safety of LCM. The study adds reliable evidence to exiting real-word evidence of LCM in the specific age group of patients with epilepsy to fill the evidence gap.

Effect of Lacosamide on Interictal Epileptiform Discharges in Pediatric Patients With Newly Diagnosed Focal Epilepsy

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of lacosamide (LCM) on interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) and evaluate the relationships between IEDs and seizure outcome in pediatric patients with focal epilepsy.

METHODS

Patient inclusion criteria included (1) newly diagnosed focal epilepsy with unknown etiology; and (2) electroencephalogram recorded twice (before and after starting LCM) under the same conditions. The difference between the highest number of IEDs over five successive minutes (IEDs/5 min) and the location of IEDs was determined. Seizure outcome was evaluated one year after achieving the maintenance dose of LCM. Responders were identified as showing a ≥50% reduction in the pre-LCM seizure frequency.

RESULTS

Of 22 patients, 10 showed an increase in IEDs/5 min after starting LCM. The median IEDs/5 min before and after starting LCM was not significantly different, at 1.5 (interquartile range: 0, 31.75) and 10.5 (0, 80.5), respectively. No relationship was identified between the difference in IEDs/5 min and seizure outcome. Patients with multiple regional or diffuse IEDs had significantly poorer seizure outcome compared with patients without those IEDs (P = 0.036 and P = 0.039, respectively). Of 10 patients with single regional IEDs, a tendency of IEDs to disappear was observed between patients with frontal and non-frontal IEDs.

CONCLUSION

The effects of LCM on the number of IEDs may be unrelated to seizure outcome. LCM may be ineffective at improving seizure outcomes in patients with multiple regional or diffuse IEDs.

Perampanel and lacosamide monotherapy in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy: A prospective study evaluating efficacy, tolerability, and behavior

PURPOSE

Perampanel (PER) and lacosamide (LCM) are the new third-generation anti-seizure medications (ASMs) that were approved for the monotherapy of focal epilepsy in children over four years of age in China, in 2021. Very few studies have analyzed the application of PER monotherapy among pediatric patients aged ≥four years, and no study compared the efficacy and tolerability of PER monotherapy with LCM monotherapy in pediatric patients with focal epilepsy. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy, tolerability, and effect on behavior and emotion of PER and LCM as monotherapy in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy, which is beneficial for clinicians to have more choices to treat pediatric patients with focal epilepsy.

METHODS

This was a prospective, single-center, observational study that involved pediatric patients (disease onset age ≥four years) with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy treated with PER or LCM as primary monotherapy. Outcomes included retention, being responders, and seizure-free rates after 3, 6, and 12 months. Adverse events (AEs) were noticed throughout the follow-up period. Behavioral outcomes were evaluated with Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/4-16) at baseline and after three and six months.

RESULTS

Using randomization, 60 patients receiving PER (31 females, 29 males, median age: 7.79 [5.34, 10.16] years, median dose: 3.0 [2.0, 4.0] mg/day) and 60 patients receiving LCM (25 females, 35 males, median age: 7.72 [5.91, 10.72] years, median dose: 150.0 [100.0, 200.0] mg/day) were enrolled in the study. At the 12-month follow-up, the retention rates in the PER and LCM groups, both were 90.4%, and the responder rates were 65.4% and 71.2%, while seizure-free rates were 57.7% and 67.3%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the retention, responder and seizure-free rates between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the responder rates between patients with BECTS, abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or types of seizure in the two groups (P > 0.05). In the PER group, 28.8% (15/52) of patients experienced AEs, of which the most frequently reported were irritability (n = 7; 13.5%), dizziness (n = 5; 9.6%), somnolence (n = 3; 5.8%), ataxia (n = 1; 1.9%), headache (n = 1; 1.9%), and rash (n = 1; 1.9%). In the LCM group, 15.4% (8/52) of the patients had AEs, including headache (n = 4; 7.5%), dizziness (n = 4; 7.5%), nausea (n = 2; 3.8%), somnolence (n = 2; 3.8%), irritability (n = 1; 1.9%), stomach ache (n = 1; 1.9%), and vomiting (n = 1; 1.9%). The incidence of irritability was significantly higher in the PER group than in the LCM group (13.5% vs. 1.9%, P = 0.031), which occurred mainly within eight weeks after drug administration. Patients with irritability were not dangerous to surrounding people by the assessment of parental observation in the life. And the symptoms were relieved spontaneously within a few months. The outcomes of total scores, internalizing scores, and externalizing scores of the CBCL did not show statistically significant differences in the PER and LCM groups between baseline and three and six months. Characteristics of behavior and emotion did not have substantial changes in patients treated with PER and LCM monotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study documented similar good effectiveness and good tolerance of PER and LCM as monotherapy in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy and showed no behavioral or emotional impact, as assessed by the CBCL. Though the incidence of irritability with PER monotherapy may be higher than that with LCM monotherapy soon after medication initiation, this side effect appears to resolve spontaneously within a few months. At present, this study was the first research about PER and LCM monotherapy in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy evaluating efficacy, tolerability, and behavior in China.

Effectiveness and safety of Lacosamide therapy for children with focal epilepsy: a real world study

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness and safety of the new antiepileptic drug, lacosamide (LCM) with Levetiracetam, for the treatment of focal epilepsy in children. Methods: This study was a cohort study. Children with focal epilepsy who received LCM or Levetiracetam treatment in West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University were recruited and followed up for 12 months. Changes in the frequency of epilepsy, 50% and 75% responder rates, and seizure freedom rates from baseline to the maintenance period and adherence score were assessed. In addition, adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results: 92 patients completed the study, and were divided into two groups: LCM (n = 46) and Levetiracetam (n = 46). Participants were aged from 2 to 16.3 years, with a mean epilepsy duration of 2.57 years. The average maintenance dose of LCM was 5.03 ± 1.91 mg/kg/d after the titration period. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean seizure frequency during subsequent visits at 1, 3,6, 9, 12 months. There was significant difference between the two groups in terms of the 50% responder rate at 6 months. No serious AEs were reported in both groups. The vast majority of patients had good adherence (adherence score = 4) in the LCM group. Conclusion: LCM is effective as adjunctive therapy in children with epilepsy and has good safety, tolerability and adherence. Large sample size studies with long-term follow-up are needed in the future to comprehensively evaluate the use of LCM in children. Clinical Trial Registration: [https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=41041], identifier [ChiCTR1900024507].

Therapeutic drug monitoring of lacosamide among children: is it helpful?

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of Lacosamide (LCM) in a pediatric population with epilepsy using LCM serum concentration and its correlation to the age of the participants and the dosage of the drug. Methods: Demographic and clinical data were collected from the medical records of children with epilepsy treated with LCM at Shamir Medical Center between February 2019 to September 2021, in whom medication blood levels were measured. Trough serum LCM concentration was measured in the biochemical laboratory using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and correlated with the administered weight-based medication dosing and clinical report. Results: Forty-two children aged 10.43 ± 5.13 years (range: 1-18) were included in the study. The average daily dose of LCM was 306.62 ± 133.20 mg (range: 100-600). The average number of seizures per day was 3.53 ± 7.25 compared to 0.87 ± 1.40 before and after LCM treatment, respectively. The mean LCM serum concentration was 6.74 ± 3.27 mg/L. No statistically significant association was found between LCM serum levels and the clinical response (p = 0.58), as well as the correlation between LCM dosage and the change in seizure rate (p = 0.30). Our study did not find a correlation between LCM serum concentration and LCM dosage and the gender of the participants: males (n = 17) females (n = 23) (p = 0.31 and p = 0.94, respectively). A positive trend was found between age and LCM serum concentrations (r = 0.26, p = 0.09). Conclusion: Based on the data that has been obtained from our study, it appears that therapeutic drug monitoring for LCM may not be necessary. Nonetheless, further research in this area is needed in the light of the relatively small sample size of the study.

Long-term effectiveness and safety of lacosamide as adjunctive therapy in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy: a real-world study

PURPOSE

The effectiveness and tolerability of lacosamide (LCM) among Chinese children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy has not yet been established. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and tolerability of LCM among children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy in Xinjiang, Northwest China.

METHODS

Effectiveness was assessed by measuring changes in seizure frequency at 3, 6 and 12 months compared with baseline. Patients that achieved ≥ 50% reduction in the frequency of all seizures per month, relative to baseline, were considered to be responders.

RESULTS

105 children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy were enrolled in the study. The responder rates were 47.6%, 39.2%, and 31.9%, respectively at 3, 6, and 12 months. Seizure freedom rates were 32.4%, 28.9%, and 23.6% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The retention rates at 3, 6, and 12 months were 92.4%, 78.1%, and 69.5%, respectively. The maintenance dose of LCM within the responder group (8.2 ± 4.5 mg·kg^- 1·d^- 1) was significantly higher compared to the non-responder group (7.3 ± 2.3 mg·kg^- 1·d^- 1) (p < 0.05). At first follow-up, 44 patients (41.9%) reported experiencing at least one treatment-emergent adverse events.

CONCLUSION

This real-world study of children and adolescents validated that LCM was both an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for the treatment of refractory epilepsy.

Investigation of the efficacy and adverse effects of lacosamide over 36 months

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and retention rate of lacosamide (LCM) over 36 months as a treatment for children and adolescents with focal and generalized epilepsy based on a retrospective study.

METHODS

All patients prescribed LCM as monotherapy and add-on therapy between October 2016 and September 2019 at Jichi Children's Medical Center Tochigi were included in the study. The response rate, retention rate, and adverse effects were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 126 (female, n = 73) patients of 1.3 to 34.9 years old (median age: 12.8 years; mean ± SD 13.2 ± 6.6 years) received LCM as monotherapy or add-on treatment for focal, generalized, and combined focal and generalized epilepsy. The response rate was 40.5% at 3 months, 40.5% at 6 months, 38.1% at 9 months, 35.7% at 12 months, 25.9% at 24 months, and 29.4% at 36 months. For 34 patients who were observable for 36 months, the retention rate was 70.6% at 3 months, but then gradually declined to 34.8% at 36 months. According to the number of concomitant anti-seizure medications (ASMs), the retention rate was higher in patients receiving <3 ASMs than in those receiving ≥3 ASMs at all observation points. The most common adverse effects were somnolence in 21 patients (16.7%) and dizziness in 5 patients (39.7%).

CONCLUSION

Our response rate was lower and our retention rate was higher in comparison to a previous study that observed patients over 36 months. Further prospective studies in children are required to confirm the response rate and retention rate in patients treated with LCM over 36 months.

Twelve-Month Efficacy of Lacosamide Monotherapy at Maximal Dose and Tolerability for Epilepsy Treatment in Pediatric Patients: Real-World Clinical Experience

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety of lacosamide (LCM) monotherapy in Chinese pediatric patients with epilepsy have not been established. Therefore, this real-world retrospective study aimed to assess the efficacy of 12 months after achievement the maximal dose and tolerability of LCM as monotherapy for epilepsy treatment in pediatric patients.

METHODS

Pediatric patients were administered LCM monotherapy in two ways: primary or conversion monotherapy. Seizure frequency was recorded as an average per month for the preceding three months at baseline and then at each follow-up period for three, six, and 12 months.

RESULTS

Primary monotherapy with LCM was administered to 37 (33.0%) pediatric patients, whereas conversion to monotherapy was achieved in 75 (67.0%) pediatric patients. The responder rates of pediatric patients receiving primary monotherapy with LCM at three, six, and 12 months were 75.7% (28 of 37), 67.6% (23 of 34), and 58.6% (17 of 29), respectively. The responder rates of pediatric patients receiving conversion to monotherapy with LCM at three, six, and 12 months were 80.0% (60 of 75), 74.3% (55 of 74), and 68.1% (49 of 72), respectively. The incidence of adverse reactions with conversion to LCM monotherapy and primary monotherapy was 32.0% (24 of 75) and 40.5% (15 of 37), respectively.

CONCLUSION

LCM is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option as monotherapy for the treatment of epilepsy.

Use of lacosamide in children: experience of a tertiary medical care center in Brazil

BACKGROUND

Lacosamide (LCM) is a third-generation anti-seizure drug approved in Europe and the United States, either as a monotherapy or adjunctive therapy, to treat partial-onset seizures in adults, adolescents, and children. In Brazil, LCM is licensed for treatment only in patients older than 16 years of age.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a cohort of children presenting with refractory epilepsy who received LCM as an add-on therapy and observe the response and tolerability to the LCM treatment.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary health care facility, which included 26 children, aged up to 16 years, who presented with refractory epilepsy and received LCM as an add-on treatment. The follow-up visits were scheduled every 3 months until 9 months of treatment with LCM.

RESULTS

After 3 months of LCM administration, in 73.1% of the children, there was a reduction of > 50% in the frequency of seizures, and this clinical improvement was maintained in most patients (73.9%) for the following 9 months. Mild (such as, somnolence and behavioral changes) or severe (seizure worsening) adverse effects were observed in two and three children respectively. Among responders to LCM, there was a higher prevalence of males, fewer concomitant anti-seizure drugs, and lower percentage of patients using sodium channel blockers.

CONCLUSIONS

Lacosamide should be considered as an early treatment option in pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy, mainly focal seizures.

Effectiveness and tolerability of lacosamide in children with drug resistant epilepsy

We retrospectively studied the efficacy and tolerability of lacosamide (LCM) in children with drug-resistant epilepsy in a tertiary care centre in the Netherlands, from 2013 till 2019, with a follow-up of two years. 79 children, aged < 18 years, were included. Retention rate, effectiveness, reason for termination, and side-effects were analysed. Furthermore, prognostic variables for discontinuation as well as the incidence of side-effects were determined. The LCM retention rate and effectiveness of response were analysed at three, twelve and twenty-four months. The retention rate of LCM was respectively 89.9 %, 68.4 % and 54.4 %. LCM gave an effective response in 60.5 %, 67.9 % and 71.4 % of the participants who were still using LCM at the three follow-up periods. Lack of efficacy was most frequently reported as a reason for discontinuation (58.3 %). Side-effects occurred in 50.6 % of the patients, somnolence (18.2 %) being the most common, followed by behavioural changes (15.6 %), headache (9.1 %) and dizziness (9.1 %). Use of ≥ 1 sodium channel blocker (SCB) was associated with an increased risk (OR = 4.038) of side-effects. An increasing number of anti-seizure medications (ASM) was associated with a reduced risk (OR = 0.524) of stopping LCM. To conclude, LCM is an effective ASM with acceptable side-effects in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Clinical impact of the dose and blood concentration of lacosamide in Japanese pediatric patients with epilepsy: A cohort study

PURPOSE

The relationship between treatment efficacy/tolerability and the dose/blood concentration of lacosamide (LCM) was investigated in a clinical cohort of Japanese pediatric patients with epilepsy.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis reviewed the medical records of patients treated with LCM for >6 months at the Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University Hospital, from September 2017 to January 2021. The collected data included age, sex, epilepsy type, seizure type, seizure frequency before and after treatment initiation, adverse events leading to LCM discontinuation, dose at any evaluation point, serum concentration, and concomitant antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

RESULTS

The study included 51 patients (31 male patients) between the ages of 2 and 19 years. All patients were Japanese. Epilepsy was classified as focal in 44 patients, generalized in six patients, and combined generalized and focal in one patient. The 50% responder rate for LCM treatment was 56.9%. Seven patients experienced complete seizure control (absence of seizures for 6 months before the follow-up visit). A relationship between dose and blood concentration was identified. Although the blood LCM concentration was higher in the responders than in the nonresponders (7.86 vs. 6.16 μg/mL; p = 0.028), there was no significant difference in dose between the two groups. Lacosamide showed efficacy at a dose >5 mg/kg/day in more than half of the 50% responders. The treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) included seizure aggravation in five patients, irritability in two patients, and somnolence and drug eruption in one patient each. In six patients with TEAEs, the TEAEs developed within 1 month after treatment initiation and led to LCM discontinuation.

CONCLUSION

In Japanese pediatric patients with epilepsy, LCM treatment is effective, particularly at higher doses. The blood concentration may be related more to efficacy than to dose. Lacosamide is generally well-tolerated by pediatric patients, and should be used at the maximum tolerable dose (needed to be gradually increased) in patients with otherwise insufficient seizure control. As TEAEs leading to discontinue treatment likely occur in early phase, it is needed to monitor patients carefully if TEAEs would happen in that phase.

Plasma lacosamide monitoring in children with epilepsy: Focus on reference therapeutic range and influencing factors

BACKGROUND

Lacosamide (LCM) is a newer anti-seizure medication (ASM) that was approved in China in 2018, but its real-world clinical data and plasma concentrations in Chinese children with epilepsy are very limited. Of note, the reference range for routine LCM therapeutic drug monitoring is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of LCM as a monotherapy or an adjunctive treatment with other ASMs and to evaluate the potential factors affecting its efficacy and variable LCM plasma concentrations in Chinese children with epilepsy.

METHODS

Children with epilepsy (<18 years) with routine plasma LCM monitoring from March 2019 to December 2021 at the Department of Pharmacy, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were retrospectively collected. Clinical data were obtained from the hospital information system.

RESULTS

76 pediatric patients (52 males) were finally enrolled. Mean age was 7.9 years (1.3-17.3 years) with a mean dose of LCM 6.3 mg/kg/day (2.0-11.3 mg/kg/day). The TDM data as a whole showed that the median plasma trough concentration (C ₀) was 3.42 μg/mL (1.25-8.31 μg/mL). A 6-month LCM add-on therapy produced 70% of patients achieving ≥50% seizure frequency reductions, and the number was 81% for the one-year follow-up findings. Interestingly, more patients who took LCM monotherapy achieved seizure freedom over the same periods of follow-up observations. Under maintenance dosages, approximately 92.1% of the C ₀ values were 2.0-7.0 μg/mL. The plasma-C ₀-to-daily dose (C ₀/Dose) ratio was significantly associated with age and body weight (BW). The C ₀/Dose ratio in patients aged 1- ≤ 6 and 6- ≤ 12 years was significantly higher by 81% and 29% than those aged 12- ≤ 18 years, respectively. The C ₀/Dose ratio in patients with a BW of ≥40 kg was 1.7-fold lower than in patients with a BW of ≤ 20 kg. In addition, complex LCM-ASMs interactions were observed. Oxcarbazepine significantly decreased the C ₀/Dose ratio of LCM by 28%.

CONCLUSION

This retrospective study confirmed the effectiveness and tolerability of the LCM treatment used alone or with other ASMs in children with focal epilepsy. Children with higher BW and older age have lower C ₀/Dose ratio. Complex drug interactions between LCM and other concomitant ASMs were revealed. Notably, based on the data in our hands, the reference range, i.e., 2.0-7.0 μg/mL, for routine LCM monitoring may be feasible. The real-world evidence of this study supports LCM as a promising option in children with focal epilepsy.

Safety and Tolerability of Lacosamide in Patients With Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: As a third-generation antiseizure medication (ASM), lacosamide (LCM) is recommended worldwide for patients with epilepsy. We aimed to provide more conclusive evidence for the safety and tolerability of LCM in patients with epilepsy. Methods: A systematic search was performed on MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, IDB, VIP Database, and Wanfang Database from inception to 2021 March, and all studies assessing the safety of LCM were included. A meta-analysis was performed for safety data of LCM. Results: Eighty-three studies involving 12268 populations (11 randomized clinical trials (RCTs), 16 cohort studies, 53 case series, and 3 case reports) were included in our study. Meta-analysis of the total incidence of adverse events (AEs) of LCM was 38.7% [95% CI (35.1%, 45.8%); n=75 studies]. Incidence of withdrawal due to AEs was 10.8% [95% CI (9.1%, 12.6%); n=56 studies], and incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs) was 6.5% [95% CI (4.0%, 8.9%); n=13 studies]. Most AEs were in the nervous system and digestive system. The most common AEs were sedation (15.8%), dizziness (15.7%), fatigue (9.4%), and nausea/vomiting (9.3%). For children, the total incidence of AEs of LCM was 32.8% [95% CI (21.6%, 44.0%); n=16 studies], and the most common AEs were dizziness (8.6%), nausea/vomiting (8.6%), and somnolence (6.8%). Conclusion: Lacosamide is generally safe and well tolerated in patients with epilepsy. Common AEs were sedation, dizziness, and fatigue. It is necessary to pay more attention to the prevention and management of these AEs and conduct more large-scale and high-quality studies to update safety data.

Safety, efficacy, and tolerability of lacosamide for the treatment of epilepsy in pediatric patients in Uygur, China

PURPOSE

Lacosamide (LCM) was approved in China in 2018. However, the safety of LCM has not been established in pediatric patients. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate its safety, efficacy, and tolerability in pediatric patients living in Uygur, Northwest China.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of pediatric patients diagnosed with epilepsy and on LCM therapy at a medical center. The seizure frequencies at 3, 6, and 12 months after starting LCM therapy were recorded and compared with the baseline monthly frequency. The primary outcome variables were the 50% responder and seizure-free rates. The secondary outcome variables included the terminal 6-month seizure remission and percentages of discontinuation due to a lack of efficacy and tolerability. Safety variables included the incidence and type of adverse reactions.

RESULTS

Seventy-two pediatric patients with epilepsy living in Uygur, China and receiving LCM treatment were included in the present study. Fifty (69%) children responded to LCM therapy with a more than 50% reduction in the frequency of seizures. Seizure-free rates increased over time, at 14%, 19%, and 20% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The number of baseline anti-seizure medications (ASMs) and order of LCM introduction significantly impacted the likelihood of seizure remission during the 12-month follow-up period (p < 0.05). During the entire period of LCM treatment, twenty-two children (30.5%) experienced at least one adverse reaction.

CONCLUSION

This retrospective study of 72 pediatric patients with epilepsy in Uygur, China, showed that LCM therapy is safe and effective for epilepsy in children, resulting in a reduction in the seizure rate.

Efficacy and tolerability of treatment with lacosamide in children: Postmarketing experience from the Middle East

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of lacosamide (LCM) in Lebanese children with focal-onset seizures and to determine if specific variables are predictive of better effectiveness.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis from three medical centers on consecutive children diagnosed with focal onset seizures and initiated on LCM. The seizure frequencies following the introduction of LCM were recorded and compared to the baseline monthly frequency at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The primary efficacy variables were the 50% responder and seizure-free rates. The secondary outcome variables included the terminal 6-month seizure remission and percentages of discontinuation due to lack of efficacy or tolerability.

RESULTS

58 patients with a mean age of 10 years experiencing a mean of 36.2 seizures per month during baseline were included. The seizure-free rates were 32.8%, 29.7%, and 12.5% at 6, 12 and 24 months follow up, respectively. Patients concomitantly treated with a sodium channel blocker were less likely to achieve a terminal 6-month seizure remission while the early introduction of LCM resulted in a significantly higher likelihood of attaining such a remission. 74.1% of patients were still maintained on LCM at the last follow-up. The most common adverse events consisted of dizziness, somnolence, nausea, vomiting, and rarely double vision.

CONCLUSIONS

LCM is efficacious and overall well tolerated in children with focal-onset seizures and exhibits higher efficacy with early introduction and when added to a non-sodium channel blocker.

The adverse-effect profile of lacosamide

Introduction: Lacosamide has been used in epilepsy patients in the United States, Europe and Asia since it was approved by the FDA in 2008. Many patients have benefited from this drug as a new generation of sodium channel blocker. With the worldwide use of this drug, its adverse effects have gradually emerged, especially some rare adverse events.Areas covered: The present review aims to summarize the adverse effects of lacosamide reported in the literature in recent years to promote the safe clinical application of the drug.Expert opinion: In more than 10 years of experience in drug usage, adverse reactions of lacosamide have also been gradually discovered. The review showed that lacosamide is safe and effective in antiepileptic treatment, and its common side effects are dizziness, headache, drowsiness, diplopia, and cardiovascular abnormalities. Skin rashes, hematotoxicity and heart damage, psychological symptoms and suicide risk have also been reported and emphasized.

Role of observational studies in supporting extrapolation of efficacy data from adults to children with epilepsy - A systematic review of the literature using lacosamide as an example

Extrapolation of efficacy data from adults to children is accepted for focal epilepsy - the antiepileptic drug, lacosamide, has been approved for the treatment of children ≥4 years of age on this basis. Since many small-scale, open-label studies are reported in the literature before approval, a systematic review was conducted to ascertain whether results of these could be used to support extrapolation in epilepsy in the future. In the absence of randomised trials, a second analysis was conducted for reports on lacosamide use in adults with generalized epilepsies. Twenty-seven articles were included in the paediatric qualitative synthesis, and 14 in the adult. Paediatric studies were analysed separately based on seizure type: focal, generalised and mixed. In focal epilepsy, safety and seizure-related findings mirrored those observed in the adult Phase II/III trials, supporting the feasibility of data extrapolation. Few studies reported outcomes in children with epilepsies associated with generalised seizures, and those that included children with different seizure types, mostly did not provide results separately. Lacosamide treatment appeared beneficial for children and adults experiencing tonic-clonic and myoclonic seizures. Reports of seizure aggravation were inconsistent and, in many cases, could not be clearly attributed to lacosamide. Given the absence of sufficient data, evidence for the feasibility of extrapolation was not as clear-cut as it was in focal epilepsy. These results highlight the complexities of conducting trials in the generalised epilepsy setting, and the importance of studies in the real-life setting and of analysing efficacy data per generalized seizure type and syndrome.