Tiagabine as add-on therapy may be more effective with valproic acid--open label, multicentre study of patients with focal epilepsy

Eur J Neurol. 2005 Mar;12(3):176-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2004.00874.x.

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to review the efficacy of tiagabine (TGB) as add-on therapy in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy under normal daily clinical practice, and try to identify those who had improvement. This was an open multicentre study conducted in Poland. A group of 330 patients were analysed. Patients received TGB up to 30-50 mg/day with adjustment within the therapeutic range and titration period. For statistical evaluation chi-square test and logistic analysis were used. At the 16-week follow-up visit, 71.4% patients were reported as responders, i.e. had a 50% or greater decrease in seizure frequency compared with baseline (P<0.001). One-third of patients were seizure-free at 16-week evaluation (P<0.001). The beneficial effect of TGB on seizure reduction was most marked in patients with partial seizures (P<0.001). Patients who used valproic acid (mean dose 1307 mg/day) had 61-85% higher chances for disappearance of seizures or reduction of their number by 50% or more. Patients who used carbamazepine (mean dose 800 mg/day) at a dose 1000 mg or higher mg/day had twice lower chance for reduction of seizures by 50% or more (OR=0.45; 95 CI 0.25-0.82). There was no statistical impact of sex, age and aetiology on probability of therapeutic effect.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Anticonvulsants / administration & dosage*
  • Carbamazepine / administration & dosage
  • Child
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Drug Resistance / drug effects*
  • Drug Resistance / physiology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Epilepsies, Partial / drug therapy*
  • Epilepsies, Partial / etiology
  • Epilepsies, Partial / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nipecotic Acids / administration & dosage*
  • Poland
  • Seizures / drug therapy
  • Seizures / physiopathology
  • Seizures / prevention & control
  • Sex Factors
  • Tiagabine
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Valproic Acid / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Nipecotic Acids
  • Carbamazepine
  • Valproic Acid
  • Tiagabine