Use of anti-epileptic drugs in a tertiary care hospital of Eastern India with emphasis on epilepsy due to neurocysticercosis.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Epilepsy is a chronic disease and neurocysticercosis is an important cause of secondary seizures. Its therapy is modified by a number of parameters and thus the pattern of anti-epileptic drugs used varies in different clinical settings. It was our objective to evaluate clinico-demographic and treatment profile of epilepsy patients attending neurology outpatient department, efficacy and side-effect profile of anti-epileptic drugs with special emphasis on epilepsy resulting from neurocysticercosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of epilepsy patients over four months in neurology outpatient department. Clinico-biological data were obtained by interrogating patients and from recorded data using standard case-report form.

RESULTS:

79 patients were studied with 54.43% having primary etiology, 40.51% having seizures secondary to neurocysticercosis. 81% had generalized tonic-clonic seizure, 17.7% partial and 1.3% myoclonic seizures. Phenytoin (86.08%), valproate (30.38%), clobazam (26.58%) and carbamazepine (10.13%) were used either alone or in combination, with no use of anthelmintics even in cases of neurocysticercosis. Control of seizure was obtained in 79.7% with significant decrease in seizure frequency from 2.92 to 0.51 (P < 0.0001). Weight loss, nausea, decreased appetite, increased sleep, drowsiness, tremors were found to be significantly associated (P < 0.05) with phenytoin use.

CONCLUSION:

Phenytoin is the primary antiepileptic in spite of its side effects; though addition of other anti-epileptic drugs (valproate, clobazam) was required for better seizure control. Cases of neurocysticercosis respond to anti-epileptic drugs without addition of anthelmintics. Side effects observed were mostly neurological in nature.

• Authors: Amrita Sil, Kamalesh Das, Nilay K Das, Dibyendu Chakraborty, Goutameswar Mazumdar, Santanu K Tripathi
• Journal: Indian journal of pharmacology (Indian J Pharmacol) Vol. 44 Issue 1 Pg. 106-10 (Jan 2012) ISSN: 1998-3751 [Electronic] India
• PMID: 22345881 (Publication Type: Journal Article)