Abstracts

Rationale: Lacosamid (LCM, Vimpat ®) is a new antiepileptic drug selectively enhancing sodium-channel slow inactivation. Since 2008 LCM is approved for the adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures in people with epilepsy who are 17 years and older. Intravenous LCM (LCM-iv) is used as an alternative in patients in whom oral administration of the drug is temporarily not feasible. Methods: In order to document efficacy and tolerability of LCM-iv data of patients with epileptic seizures were collected in an independent registry. Sixteen neuropediatric and neurological centers in Germany participated. Maximal duration of observation was 10 days. Results: Data of 119 patients could be analyzed. Mean age was 56.72 years (SD 20.72, range 1-92). Most common etiologies of seizures were tumors (36.1%), cerebrovascular diseases (21.8%), trauma (7.6%) and infections (4.2%). Patients received on average 319 mg LCM-iv (SD 139.25, range 93-1200) per day, with 97.5% of patients receiving multiple AED. In 45 (70.3%) of 64 patients with status epilepticus seizure activity ceased in close temporal relation to administration of LCM-iv. No significant changes in ECG, heart rate and blood pressure could be observed in context to LCM-iv application. Treating physicians rated tolerability in 93.1% and efficacy in 77.6% as very good or good. Conclusions: Data from this largest registry on the use of LCM-iv suggest that LCM-iv is well tolerated and has high efficacy also in status epilepticus.