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Lacosamide as add-on in brain tumor-related epilepsy: preliminary report on efficacy and tolerability

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Abstract

Lacosamide (LCM) is an antiepileptic drug (AED) that has demonstrated a good efficacy in controlling seizures as an add-on in adult epilepsy. To date, there have been no studies on LCM in patients with brain tumor-related epilepsy (BTRE). To evaluate efficacy and tolerability of LCM as an add-on in BTRE, we followed 14 patients suffering from BTRE who had already been treated with other AEDs and who had not experienced adequate seizure control. Eleven patients underwent chemotherapy while being treated with LCM. Mean duration of follow up was 5.4 months (min < 1 max 10 months). Mean seizure number in the last month prior to the introduction of LCM had been 15.4. At last follow-up, the mean seizure number was reduced to 1.9/month. Lacosamide mean dosage was of 332.1 mg/day (min 100 max 400 mg/day). Responder rate was 78.6%. One patient discontinued LCM because of side-effects. There were no other reported side-effects. Preliminary data on the use of LCM in add-on in patients with BTRE indicate that this drug may represent a valid alternative as an add-on in this particular patient population. However, larger samples are necessary in order to draw definitive conclusions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their gratitude to Ms. Lesley Pritikin for reviewing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Tumor-related Epilepsy, Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience and Cervical-Facial Pathology, National Institute for Cancer “Regina Elena”, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy

    M. Maschio, L. Dinapoli & M. Mingoia

  2. Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience and Cervical-Facial Pathology, National Institute for Cancer “Regina Elena”, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy

    A. Pace

  3. Department of Epidemiology, National Institute for Cancer “Regina Elena”, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy

    F. Sperati

  4. Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience and Cervical-Facial Pathology, National Institute for Cancer “Regina Elena”, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy

    A. Pompili & C. M. Carapella

  5. Department of Radiology, National Institute for Cancer “Regina Elena”, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy

    A. Vidiri

  6. Scientific Direction of National Institute for Cancer “Regina Elena”, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy

    P. Muti

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  1. M. Maschio
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  2. L. Dinapoli
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  3. M. Mingoia
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  4. F. Sperati
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  5. A. Pace
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  6. A. Pompili
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  7. C. M. Carapella
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  8. A. Vidiri
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  9. P. Muti
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Correspondence to M. Maschio.

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Maschio, M., Dinapoli, L., Mingoia, M. et al. Lacosamide as add-on in brain tumor-related epilepsy: preliminary report on efficacy and tolerability. J Neurol 258, 2100–2104 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-6132-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-6132-8

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