Sulthiame monotherapy for epilepsy
Abstract Background This is an updated version of the original Cochrane Review published in 2014. Epilepsy is a common neurological condition characterised by recurrent seizures. Pharmacological treatment remains the first choice to control epilepsy. Sulthiame (STM) is widely used as an antiepileptic drug in Europe and Israel. In this review, we have presented a summary […]
Treatments for seizures in catamenial (menstrual-related) epilepsy
Abstract Background This is an updated version of a Cochrane Review previously published in 2019. Catamenial epilepsy describes worsening seizures in relation to the menstrual cycle and may affect around 40% of women with epilepsy. Vulnerable days of the menstrual cycle for seizures are perimenstrually (C1 pattern), at ovulation (C2 pattern), and during the luteal […]
Transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy
Abstract Background Epilepsy is a highly prevalent neurological condition characterised by repeated unprovoked seizures with various aetiologies. Although antiepileptic medications produce clinical improvement in many individuals, nearly a third of individuals have drug‐resistant epilepsy that carries significant morbidity and mortality, and even individuals who have clinical improvement from antiepileptic medications often report iatrogenic symptoms. There […]
Antidepressants for people with epilepsy and depression
Abstract Background Depressive disorders are the most common psychiatric comorbidity in people with epilepsy, affecting around one‐third, with a significant negative impact on quality of life. There is concern that people may not be receiving appropriate treatment for their depression because of uncertainty regarding which antidepressant or class works best, and the perceived risk of […]
Anti‐seizure medications for Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome
Abstract Background Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is an age‐specific epilepsy syndrome characterised by multiple seizure types, including drop seizures. LGS has a characteristic electroencephalogram, an onset before age eight years and an association with drug resistance. This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review published in 2013. Objectives To assess the efficacy and tolerability of […]
Ethosuximide, sodium valproate or lamotrigine for absence seizures in children and adolescents
Abstract Background This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review previously published in 2019. Absence seizures (AS) are brief epileptic seizures which present in childhood and adolescence. Depending on clinical features and electroencephalogram (EEG) findings they are divided into typical, atypical absences, and absences with special features. Typical absences are characterised by sudden loss […]
Gabapentin add‐on treatment for drug‐resistant focal epilepsy
Abstract Background This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review previously published in 2018. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterised by recurrent seizures. Most people with epilepsy have a good prognosis and their seizures are well controlled by a single antiepileptic drug, but up to 30% develop drug‐resistant epilepsy, especially people with focal […]
Rufinamide add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant epilepsy
Abstract Background Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder (neurological disorder). Epileptic seizures are the result of excessive and abnormal cortical nerve cell electrical activity in the brain. Despite the development of more than 10 new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) since the early 2000s, approximately a third of people with epilepsy remain resistant to pharmacotherapy, often […]
Strategies for improving adherence to antiepileptic drug treatment in patients with epilepsy
Abstract Background Poor adherence to antiepileptic medication is associated with increased mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs. In this review, we focus on interventions designed and tested in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi‐RCTs to assist people with adherence to antiepileptic medication. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2011, and last […]
Pharmacological treatment for continuous spike-wave during slow wave sleep syndrome and Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
Abstract Background Continuous spike‐wave during slow wave sleep syndrome (CSWS) and Landau‐Kleffner syndrome (LKS) are two epileptic encephalopathies that present with neurocognitive regression, aphasia, and clinical seizures, typically presenting in children around five years of age. The pathophysiology of these conditions is not completely understood. Some studies suggest a common origin for both. No systematic […]