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Heger K, Kjeldstadli K, Ring N, Aaberg KM, Kjeldsen SF, Burns ML, Johannessen SI, Johannessen Landmark C. Pharmacokinetic Variability of Sulthiame: The Impact of Age, Drug-Drug Interactions, and Biochemical Markers of Toxicity in Patients with Epilepsy. Ther Drug Monit 2024; 46:237-245. [PMID: 38158595 DOI: 10.1097/ftd.0000000000001146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Sulthiame is an antiseizure medication increasingly used for epilepsy. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic variability of sulthiame in children and adults with epilepsy with respect to age, comedication, dose, serum concentration, and biochemical markers of toxicity in a clinical setting. METHOD Retrospective quantitative data from the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) database at the Section for Clinical Pharmacology, the National Center for Epilepsy, Norway (2015-2021), were used. RESULTS TDM data from 326 patients (127 female/199 male) were included [mean age, 11.4 (range 2-44) years; mean weight, 41 (range 14-109) kg]. Interindividual pharmacokinetic variability in the concentration/(dose/body weight) (C/(D/kg)) ratio was 16-fold; intraindividual variability was up to 8-fold (coefficient of variation = 10%-78%). Young children (younger than 6 years) had a significantly lower C/(D/kg) ratio than older age groups ( P < 0.05). Various comedications did not significantly affect the C/(D/kg) ratio, possibly owing to the small sample size. However, CYP2C19-mediated inhibition by sulthiame was indicated because patients using clobazam and sulthiame (n = 28) had a 3.5-fold higher N-desmethylclobazam C/(D/kg) ratio than those using neutral comedication (n = 45; P < 0.001). Patients with pH values below the adjusted normal range (7.32-7.42; n = 15) had a 33% higher sulthiame concentration than those with normal pH values (n = 22; P < 0.05). Blood gas measurements, especially pH, may serve as markers of toxicity and can be used in combination with clinical data when toxicity is suspected. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the extensive intraindividual and interindividual pharmacokinetic variability of sulthiame, with age as a contributing factor. Sulthiame has clinically relevant interactions with clobazam. The use of TDM and pH as a biochemical marker may contribute to individualized and safe sulthiame treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Heger
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kari Kjeldstadli
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nelly Ring
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kari Modalsli Aaberg
- The National Center for Epilepsy, Sandvika, Member of the ERN EpiCare, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; and
| | - Signe Flood Kjeldsen
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology, The National Center for Epilepsy, Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Margrete Larsen Burns
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology, The National Center for Epilepsy, Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Svein I Johannessen
- The National Center for Epilepsy, Sandvika, Member of the ERN EpiCare, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; and
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology, The National Center for Epilepsy, Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Cecilie Johannessen Landmark
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
- The National Center for Epilepsy, Sandvika, Member of the ERN EpiCare, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; and
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology, The National Center for Epilepsy, Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Kohn E, Lezinger M, Daniel S, Masarwi M, Brandriss N, Bar-Chaim A, Berkovitch M, Heyman E, Komargodski R. Therapeutic drug monitoring of lacosamide among children: is it helpful? Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1164902. [PMID: 37484012 PMCID: PMC10359424 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1164902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elkana Kohn
- Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Mirit Lezinger
- Pediatric Neurology Department, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Sharon Daniel
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Clalit Health Services, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Majdi Masarwi
- Pharmacy Services, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Nurit Brandriss
- Laboratories Department, Biochemistry Lab, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Adina Bar-Chaim
- Laboratories Department, Biochemistry Lab, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Matitiahu Berkovitch
- Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Eli Heyman
- Pediatric Neurology Department, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Rinat Komargodski
- Pharmacy Services, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Lacosamide in Chinese Pediatric Patients with Epilepsy: Efficacy and Factors Influencing the Plasma Concentration. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2023; 48:41-49. [PMID: 36418850 DOI: 10.1007/s13318-022-00808-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The impact of individual patient variables on drug metabolism is particularly important for antiseizure medication, and lacosamide has not been studied in Chinese pediatric patients with epilepsy. This study evaluated the effects of dose, age, sex, medication time, seizure type, and concomitant enzyme-inducing antiseizure medications (EIASMs) on the plasma concentration of lacosamide. METHODS A total of 500 pediatric patients from two hospitals in China were enrolled in this study. Lacosamide plasma concentration was processed using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography assay. Efficacy was evaluated based on the four-grade therapeutic effect criteria developed by the first National Epilepsy Academic Conference of the Chinese Medical Association. RESULTS The responder rate to lacosamide therapy was 72.2% (361/500). There was a weaker relationship between the lacosamide daily dose and lacosamide plasma concentration (r = 0.238). Lacosamide plasma concentrations of patients ranged from 1.5 to 19.7 µg/mL, with a mean of 6.9 ± 3.2 µg/mL. The study results showed a significant contribution of age, body mass index, epilepsy duration, medication time, and EIASMs to the lacosamide plasma concentration (p < 0.05). Patients taking concomitant EIASMs with lacosamide had a significantly lower mean lacosamide plasma concentration (5.9 ± 2.6 µg/mL) than patients taking concomitant non-EIASMs (7.5 ± 3.5 µg/mL, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION To ensure the clinical efficacy and safety of lacosamide therapy in pediatric patients, it is necessary to monitor the plasma concentration.
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Ishikawa N, Eguchi Y, Izumo H, Tateishi Y, Tani H, Kobayashi Y, Okada S. Clinical impact of the dose and blood concentration of lacosamide in Japanese pediatric patients with epilepsy: A cohort study. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 129:108614. [PMID: 35203014 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobutsune Ishikawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan; Epilepsy Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan.
| | - Yuta Eguchi
- Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan; Epilepsy Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan
| | - Hiroki Izumo
- Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan; Epilepsy Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan
| | - Yuichi Tateishi
- Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan; Epilepsy Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan
| | - Hiroo Tani
- Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan; Epilepsy Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Kobayashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan; Epilepsy Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan
| | - Satoshi Okada
- Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University Hospital, Japan
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Li Y, Guo HL, Zhang YY, Dong N, Hu YH, Chen J, Lu XP, Chen F. Plasma lacosamide monitoring in children with epilepsy: Focus on reference therapeutic range and influencing factors. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:949783. [PMID: 36160782 PMCID: PMC9490115 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.949783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong-Li Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Na Dong
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ya-Hui Hu
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiao-Peng Lu
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Schultz L, Mahmoud SH. Is Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Lacosamide Needed in Patients with Seizures and Epilepsy? Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2021; 45:315-349. [PMID: 31950342 DOI: 10.1007/s13318-019-00601-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Lacosamide is an antiepileptic drug (AED) that has linear pharmacokinetics, predictable blood concentrations, and few drug interactions, setting it apart from other AEDs that require vigorous therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) such as phenytoin and carbamazepine. However, there have been reports of altered lacosamide pharmacokinetics in some populations. The purpose of this review is to determine whether lacosamide pharmacokinetics are altered in certain patient populations, suggesting the need for TDM. A literature search of Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane trials was conducted on January 3, 2019 (and then updated on September 2, 2019) to search for articles relevant to the TDM or pharmacokinetics of lacosamide. A total of 56 relevant articles were found and included in this review. Dose of lacosamide is linearly correlated with plasma concentrations and efficacy. However, currently there is no well-established reference range. Overall, the recommended reference ranges varied from 2.2 to 20 mg/L. Lacosamide has very few clinically relevant drug-drug interactions; however, there seems to be a significant drug interaction between lacosamide and enzyme-inducer AEDs. Based on available literature, it appears that lacosamide pharmacokinetics may be altered in severe renal dysfunction, in patients on dialysis and with extremes of age. More evidence is currently needed on lacosamide pharmacokinetics in pregnancy and critical illness. While it is not practical to utilize TDM for all patients, TDM may be useful in patients taking enzyme-inducer AEDs, in patients with decreased renal function or on dialysis, and older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynnea Schultz
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-142H Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Sherif Hanafy Mahmoud
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-142H Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
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Svendsen T, Brodtkorb E, Baftiu A, Lossius MI, Nakken KO, Johannessen SI, Johannessen Landmark C. Clinical experience combined with therapeutic drug monitoring of lacosamide. Acta Neurol Scand 2020; 141:279-286. [PMID: 31853958 DOI: 10.1111/ane.13206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lacosamide (LCM) is an antiepileptic drug (AED) with insufficient clinical experience in patients with intellectual disability (ID). They often have more severe epilepsy with comorbidities. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of lacosamide (LCM) in patients with refractory epilepsy with and without ID in a real-life setting, taking drug monitoring (TDM) data into account therapeutic. METHODS Retrospectively, we identified 344 patients using LCM from the TDM service covering the majority of the country, at the National Center for Epilepsy in Norway (2013-2018). Clinical and TDM data were available for 132 patients. RESULTS Forty-four of the 132 patients (33%) had ID. The retention rate was significantly higher in the ID vs the non-ID group after 1 year (84% vs 68%, P < .05). By combining clinical and TDM data, we demonstrated that 37/38 responding patients had serum concentrations above the lower limit of the reference range (>10 µmol/L), and 16/17 with lower concentrations were non-responders. Mean serum concentration/dose ratios were similar in both groups, 0.06 and 0.07 µmol/L/mg. There were no significant differences regarding efficacy and tolerability. The risk of LCM withdrawal was significantly higher when LCM was added to sodium channel blockers, even if the latter was discontinued. SIGNIFICANCE Lacosamide was generally well tolerated in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, where one third had ID, and in these patients the retention rate was higher. The combination of clinical and TDM data could possibly facilitate LCM therapy in these vulnerable patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torleiv Svendsen
- The National Center for Epilepsy, SandvikaOslo University Hospital Oslo Norway
- Department of Neurology Innlandet Hospital Trust Lillehammer Norway
| | - Eylert Brodtkorb
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology St. Olav's University Hospital Trondheim Norway
- Department of Neuroscience Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim Norway
| | - Arton Baftiu
- The National Center for Epilepsy, SandvikaOslo University Hospital Oslo Norway
- The Norwegian Medicines Agency Oslo Norway
| | - Morten I. Lossius
- The National Center for Epilepsy, SandvikaOslo University Hospital Oslo Norway
- Oslo University Oslo Norway
| | - Karl O. Nakken
- The National Center for Epilepsy, SandvikaOslo University Hospital Oslo Norway
| | - Svein I. Johannessen
- The National Center for Epilepsy, SandvikaOslo University Hospital Oslo Norway
- Program for Pharmacy Department of Life Sciences and Health Faculty of Health Sciences Oslo Metropolitan University Oslo Norway
| | - Cecilie Johannessen Landmark
- The National Center for Epilepsy, SandvikaOslo University Hospital Oslo Norway
- Program for Pharmacy Department of Life Sciences and Health Faculty of Health Sciences Oslo Metropolitan University Oslo Norway
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology Department of Pharmacology Oslo University Hospital Oslo Norway
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Johannessen Landmark C, Johannessen SI, Patsalos PN. Therapeutic drug monitoring of antiepileptic drugs: current status and future prospects. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2020; 16:227-238. [DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2020.1724956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilie Johannessen Landmark
- Program for Pharmacy, Department of Life Sciences and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
- The National Center for Epilepsy, Sandvika, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Svein I. Johannessen
- The National Center for Epilepsy, Sandvika, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Section for Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Philip N. Patsalos
- Department of Clinical & Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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Verrotti A, Tambucci R, Di Francesco L, Pavone P, Iapadre G, Altobelli E, Matricardi S, Farello G, Belcastro V. The role of polytherapy in the management of epilepsy: suggestions for rational antiepileptic drug selection. Expert Rev Neurother 2019; 20:167-173. [PMID: 31855066 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2020.1707668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Antiepileptic polytherapy may be indicated in patients experiencing drug-resistant epilepsy. To date, there are no evidence-based criteria on how to combine different antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) together, in order to obtain the best therapeutic response.Areas covered: This paper reviews the available data about the various associations of AEDs in patients undergoing polytherapy, focusing on the most effective and well-tolerated polytherapies. Moreover, some controversial aspects of this topic are addressed.Expert opinion: Nowadays, there are no guidelines on polytherapy in patients with epilepsy; thus, the management of pharmacoresistant epilepsy is still uncertain, except for valproate/lamotrigine combination, which seems to be the only one recommended. Data regarding mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and, more importantly, the analysis of the valuable clinical studies of drug combinations can help physicians to choose the best and most effective AED association for each patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Verrotti
- Department of Pediatrics, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Renato Tambucci
- Pediatric Unit, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.,Digestive Endoscopy and Surgery Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Piero Pavone
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giulia Iapadre
- Department of Pediatrics, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Emma Altobelli
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Sara Matricardi
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, Salesi Hospital Ancona, Italy
| | - Giovanni Farello
- Department of Pediatrics, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Belcastro
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Mental Health, ASST-LARIANA, COMO
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