Improved quality of life in patients with partial seizures after conversion to oxcarbazepine monotherapy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Quality of life (QOL) was assessed in patients who switched to oxcarbazepine monotherapy because of the lack of efficacy or poor tolerability of their current antiepileptic drug (AED).

METHOD:

This open-label, single-arm study consisted of patients aged 12 >or= years with partial onset seizures. Oxcarbazepine (8-10mg/kg/day for children, 600 mg/day for adults) was titrated up over 4 weeks while the existing AED was tapered off. QOL was evaluated at baseline and end of study (Week 16) using the validated-in-epilepsy QOLIE-31 questionnaire.

RESULTS:

For all patients who completed the QOLIE-31 at baseline and completion, a statistically significant improvement was noted for both the composite and multi-item subscale QOL scores (P<0.05 vs baseline). Statistically significant mean percentage improvements of >or=10% from baseline (range=10.8-50.1%) were also noted. Significant improvements were seen in health-related QOL for patients who experienced seizure freedom or >or=50% reductions in seizure frequency with oxcarbazepine monotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients with partial seizures who switched to oxcarbazepine monotherapy showed statistically significant, clinically relevant improvements in QOL.

• Authors: Rajesh C Sachdeo, John R Gates, Carl W Bazil, Gregory L Barkley, William Tatum, Joseph D'Souza, Kevin McCague
• Journal: Epilepsy & behavior : E&B (Epilepsy Behav) Vol. 9 Issue 3 Pg. 457-63 (Nov 2006) ISSN: 1525-5050 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16934534 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Carbamazepine
• Oxcarbazepine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Carbamazepine (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Child
• Epilepsies, Partial (drug therapy, psychology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Oxcarbazepine
• Quality of Life
• Surveys and Questionnaires