Lamotrigine and catamenial epilepsy.

Abstract

Catamenial epilepsy (CE) is characterized by epileptic seizures in the female occurring rhythmatically with the menstrual cycle. Hormonal mechanisms have been proposed as a cause of this epileptic form. Few reports about the efficacy of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) have been published. We studied prospectively women with CE who were treated with lamotrigine (LTG) for a period of 3 months in order to evaluate its efficacy, measuring the progesterone levels before and after LTG at the same time. LTG seemed to be efficacious in 66% of women, meaning the disappearance of seizures or reduction of 50% or more of the number of seizures. The reported side effects were few and mild, and the drug was well tolerated. Serum progesterone levels were found to rise during LTG treatment.

• Authors: Ronit Gilad, Menachem Sadeh, Abraham Rapoport, Ron Dabby, Yair Lampl
• Journal: Seizure (Seizure) Vol. 17 Issue 6 Pg. 531-4 (Sep 2008) ISSN: 1059-1311 [Print] England
• PMID: 18420429 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Triazines
• Lamotrigine

Topics

• Adult
• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Electroencephalography
• Epilepsy (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Lamotrigine
• Menstruation
• Middle Aged
• Treatment Outcome
• Triazines (therapeutic use)