Epilepsy

Studies on drug pharmacokinetics in epilepsy patients are being conducted to help the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consider whether it needs to tighten bioequivalence rules for generic anti-epilepsy drugs (AEDs) and other medications that have narrow therapeutic windows.

The FDA has approved eslicarbazepine acetate (Aptiom) for the treatment of partial seizures in adults with epilepsy. The medication is indicated as an add-on therapy for patients with epilepsy.

Study results show that a structured educational intervention for staff aimed at improving knowledge of pain assessment and treatment has little effect on outcomes as measured by pain scores.

Researchers reported the MMRV and separately administered MMR plus varicella vaccines were associated with a greater incidence of fever, seizures, and immune thrombocytopenia purpura seven to 10 days after vaccine administration.

Researchers discover patients with cerebral cavernous malformations who receive intensive evaluation pre-surgical evaluation are significantly more likely to be free of seizure postoperatively.

Many accepted practices in hospital medicine, ranging from electrolyte management to the components of a syncope workup, may have scant or equivocal evidence to support their use.

Study results show a novel formulation of oxcarbazepine may provide long-term seizure reduction in patients with refractory epilepsy, while a separate trial produced promising results for long-term lacosamide treatment in elderly patients with partial-onset seizures.

Study shows levetiracetam, carbamazepine, and topiramate are equally safe and effective in the treatment of adult patients with epilepsy induced by MELAS. However, valproate was found to be less effective and associated with more adverse events.

Less than a quarter know that most fractures in epilepsy patients are unassociated with seizures, according to a recent study.

A number of recent studies have investigated the relationship between epilepsy and depression, providing insights into both conditions.

At this year's meeting, the AAN will be hosting various scientific and plenary session focusing on the hot topics in neurology.

The combination of two widely used drugs-lamotrigine and valproate-may treat refractory epilepsy more effectively than other antiepileptic regimens, researchers at the University of Washington have found.

Eric Kossoff, MD, started off the session "First and Second Seizure…Now What Do I Do?" saying how important it is as physicians to calm parents down when their child experiences a seizure.

A new study finds that brain tumor patients taking valproic acid in addition to customary therapy, may live longer than patients taking other AEDs.

Cynthia L. Harden, MD, discusses the pros and cons of valproate and other antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy.

The age of onset of a child's first seizure is a significant predictor of cognitive impairment.

A clinical trial has proved a unique nerve-stimulation treatment to be effective in patients suffering from drug-resistance epilepsy.

Young adults with cancer, diabetes, or epilepsy are less likely to graduate high school or have employment compared to their healthy peers.

A new study examines the prevalence of maternal depression and its impact on children newly diagnosed with epilepsy.

Review the key findings from three recently published studies looking at management of seizures in the hospital setting.

Study finds link between autoimmune skin disease and several neurologic disorders, including dementia, MS, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease.

One physician might define an emergency differently from another, so how can you accurately quantify the number of office-based emergencies?

Carbamazepine has long been a mainstay of epilepsy pharmacotherapy. However, this agent is not without problems, such as significant rashes and strong hepatic enzyme induction.

AEDs are the mainstay of the treatment of epilepsy. A large number of new drugs have become available in the last two decades. These newer agents generally offer a better adverse effect profile and fewer drug-drug interactions compared with the older drugs. Efficacy, however, may not be much better.

Some neurologic disorders increase the risk of problematic outcomes of pregnancy. Data on such associations have been scant, but this is beginning to change. For example, with regard to epilepsy, there are a number of pregnancy registries which track outcomes related to antiepileptic drug therapy. However, large trials and population studies are not common.

Epilepsy is often a difficult disorder with which to live, as seizures are unpredictable and the consequences are potentially severe. The pharmacotherapy of epilepsy frequently entails a careful balance of drug dosing and timing, and anything upsetting this can lead to seizures or toxicity.

In well selected patients with refractory epilepsy, seizure surgery is a safe and effective treatment option. Sadly, it is also much underused.

"Sudden death is 24 times more likely in someone with epilepsy than in the normal population," Elizabeth J. Donner, MD, assistant professor of neurology, University of Toronto said in her plenary lecture "Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy."

The results of a recent study has shown that a "highly regimented ketogenic diet, a high-fat nutritional therapy used to limit seizures, requires long-term medical management and strong parental commitment to achieve both sufficient nutrition and improved seizure control in children."