Second-Line Treatment Choice for Epilepsy

Launched by DUTCH EPILEPSY CLINICS FOUNDATION · Sep 13, 2005

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The purpose of the project is to compare several antiepileptic drugs given to adult patients with epilepsy after they have not become seizure free on valproate as a first-line antiepileptic drug. The drugs will first be evaluated in combination with valproate and in case of success (being a seizure reduction of more than 50%) will also be evaluated in monotherapy.

Patients who did not become seizure free on valproate will be identified by neurologists in the participating hospitals. When these patients are willing to participate, they are randomized to one of three drugs: carbamazepine, la...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adult patients with generalized tonic-clonic, complex partial and/or simple partial seizures. The seizures should be well-defined according to the International Classification of Epileptic Seizures (1). Therefore, an accurate history and adequate neurophysiological data should be present in each case in order to confirm the diagnosis.
• • Patients on valproate monotherapy who are not seizure free at at the maximal dose they can tolerate.
• • Patients should be able to understand the patient information concerning the study and be able to give informed consent.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients who failed on VPA monotherapy because of other causes than lack of seizure control at a maximally tolerated dose (unable to tolerate the lowest maintenance dose of VPA, idiosyncratic reactions, non-compliance)
• • Absence seizures or juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
• • Acute or progressive neurological disorders
• • Alcohol or other substance abuse
• • History of severe psychiatric illness