Efficacy and Safety of Adjunctive Cannabidiol in Patients with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe developmental epileptic encephalopathy, and available interventions fail to control seizures in most patients. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major chemical of marijuana, which has anti-seizure properties and different mechanisms of action compared with other approved antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

OBJECTIVE:

The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CBD as adjunctive treatment for seizures in patients with LGS using meta-analytical techniques.

METHODS:

Randomized, placebo-controlled, single- or double-blinded trials were identified. Main outcomes included the ≥ 50% reduction in baseline drop and non-drop seizure frequency, and the incidence of treatment withdrawal and adverse events (AEs). Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated through the inverse variance method.

RESULTS:

Two trials were included involving 396 participants. Patients presenting ≥ 50% reduction in drop seizure frequency during the treatment were 40.0% with CBD and 19.3% with placebo [RR 2.12 (95% CI 1.48-3.03); p < 0.001]. The rate of non-drop seizure frequency was reduced by 50% or more in 49.4% of patients in the CBD and 30.4% in the placebo arms [RR 1.62 (95% CI 1.09-2.43); p = 0.018]. The RR for CBD withdrawal was 4.93 (95% CI 1.50-16.22; p = 0.009). The RR to develop any AE during CBD treatment was 1.24 (95% CI 1.11-1.38; p < 0.001). AEs significantly associated with CBD were somnolence, decreased appetite, diarrhea and increased serum aminotransferases.

CONCLUSIONS:

Adjunctive CBD resulted in a greater reduction in seizure frequency and a higher rate of AEs than placebo in patients with LGS presenting seizures uncontrolled by concomitant AEDs.

• Authors: Simona Lattanzi, Francesco Brigo, Claudia Cagnetti, Eugen Trinka, Mauro Silvestrini
• Journal: CNS drugs (CNS Drugs) Vol. 32 Issue 10 Pg. 905-916 (10 2018) ISSN: 1179-1934 [Electronic] New Zealand
• PMID: 30132269 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Cannabidiol
• Transaminases

Topics

• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Cannabidiol (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Double-Blind Method
• Humans
• Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Odds Ratio
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Seizures (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Transaminases (metabolism)