Abstracts

Rationale: Lacosamide (LCM) is approved as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalization in patients aged 16 years and older Methods: Descriptive observational study. Inclusion criteria: patients aged 16 years and older with refractory epilepsy treated LCM as adjunctive therapy in our Epilepsy Unit from March 2009 to May 2010 with a minimum follow-up the same dose for 3 months. We analyzed: demographic data , seizure type, epilepsy syndrome, monthly frequency of seizures (two months before and during three months with stable dose), tolerance and concomitant antiepileptic drugs. Results: 46 patients (17 M, 29 F). Average age: 38 years (22-61). Years of evolution of epilepsy: 23 years (2-50 y). Average frequency of seizures 26 / month (2-120). Mean duration of treatment: 23 weeks (12-60). Type of crisis: temporal (52%), frontal (30%), occipital (4%), generalized (26%), unclassificable (15%). Epileptic syndrome: MTLE 28% TLE 15%, 30% FLE, OLE 4%, generalized symptomatic epilepsies 10%. Efficacy: seizure-free 13%, seizure- reduction > 75% 10%, seizure-reduction 50-74% 15%, no changes 26% . Side effects: 31% (12 patients), but only one discontinuation. 11 patients: related to doses > 800 mg / 24h of CBZ and improved adverse effects with the decreased of this drug. One patient required also LMT decreased. Conclusions: In our experience, lacosamide is an effective and well tolerated antiepileptic drug on the treatment of patients with refractory epilepsy.