BACKGROUND: We retrospectively analysed the anticonvulsant efficacy of add-on treatment with felbamate (FBM), tiagabine (TGB), or sulthiame (STM) in patients with intractable focal and/or secondarily generalised seizures. RESULTS: Forty-one patients (25 men, 16 women, mean age 29 years, mean duration of epilepsy 25 years) were treated with FBM. In nine patients (21.9%) seizure frequency was reduced by more than 50% (mean FBM dosage 3211 mg), and 13 patients (31.7%) reported side effects. Fifty-three patients (26 men, 27 women, mean age 38 years, mean duration of epilepsy 24 years) were treated with TGB. In seven patients (13.2%) seizure frequency was reduced by more than 50% (mean TGB dosage 32.9 mg), and 28 patients (52.8%) reported side effects. Twenty-eight patients (14 men, 14 women, mean age 32.6 years, mean duration of epilepsy 24.9 years) were treated with STM. In five patients (17.8%) seizure frequency was reduced by more than 50% (mean STM dosage 275 mg), and four patients (14.2%) reported side effects. CONCLUSION: Third-line antiepileptic drugs, especially FBM and STM, are fairly well tolerated and contribute to seizure control.
BACKGROUND: We retrospectively analysed the anticonvulsant efficacy of add-on treatment with felbamate (FBM), tiagabine (TGB), or sulthiame (STM) in patients with intractable focal and/or secondarily generalised seizures. RESULTS: Forty-one patients (25 men, 16 women, mean age 29 years, mean duration of epilepsy 25 years) were treated with FBM. In nine patients (21.9%) seizure frequency was reduced by more than 50% (mean FBM dosage 3211 mg), and 13 patients (31.7%) reported side effects. Fifty-three patients (26 men, 27 women, mean age 38 years, mean duration of epilepsy 24 years) were treated with TGB. In seven patients (13.2%) seizure frequency was reduced by more than 50% (mean TGB dosage 32.9 mg), and 28 patients (52.8%) reported side effects. Twenty-eight patients (14 men, 14 women, mean age 32.6 years, mean duration of epilepsy 24.9 years) were treated with STM. In five patients (17.8%) seizure frequency was reduced by more than 50% (mean STM dosage 275 mg), and four patients (14.2%) reported side effects. CONCLUSION: Third-line antiepileptic drugs, especially FBM and STM, are fairly well tolerated and contribute to seizure control.
Authors: Jürgen Bauer; Arnfin Bergmann; Markus Reuber; Stefan Rudolf Günther Stodieck; Pierre Genton Journal: Epileptic Disord Date: 2002-12 Impact factor: 1.819