Antiepileptic drugs as prophylaxis for postcraniotomy seizures
Abstract Background This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review previously published in 2018. The incidence of seizures following supratentorial craniotomy for non‐traumatic pathology has been estimated to be between 15% to 20%; however, the risk of experiencing a seizure appears to vary from 3% to 92% over a five‐year period. Postoperative seizures can […]
Clonazepam add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant epilepsy
Abstract Background This is an updated version of the original Cochrane Review published in 2018, Issue 5. Epilepsy affects over 70 million people worldwide, and nearly a quarter of patients with seizures have drug‐resistant epilepsy. People with drug‐resistant epilepsy have increased risks of premature death, injuries, psychosocial dysfunction, and a reduced quality of life. Objectives […]
Treatments for the prevention of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)
Abstract Background This is an updated version of the original Cochrane Review, published in 2016, Issue 7. Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is defined as sudden, unexpected, witnessed or unwitnessed, non‐traumatic or non‐drowning death of people with epilepsy, with or without evidence of a seizure, excluding documented status epilepticus and in whom postmortem examination […]
Lamotrigine add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant focal epilepsy
Abstract Background This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review previously published in 2016. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder, affecting 0.5% to 1% of the population. For nearly 30% of these people, their epilepsy is resistant to currently available drugs. Pharmacological treatment remains the first choice to control epilepsy. Lamotrigine is one of […]
Oxcarbazepine add-on for drug-resistant focal epilepsy
Abstract Background Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder. In approximately 30% of epilepsy cases, seizures are uncontrolled by one antiepileptic drug (AED). These people require treatment with a combination of multiple AEDs and are described as having drug‐resistant epilepsy. Oxcarbazepine is a keto‐analogue of carbamazepine, an established AED, and can be used as an add‐on […]
Rapid versus slow withdrawal of antiepileptic drugs
Abstract Background The ideal objective of treating a person with epilepsy is to induce remission (free of seizures for some time) using antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and withdraw the AEDs without causing seizure recurrence. Prolonged usage of AEDs may have long‐term adverse effects. Hence, when a person with epilepsy is in remission, it is logical to […]
Losigamone add-on therapy for partial epilepsy
Abstract Background Epilepsy is a common neurologic disorder, affecting approximately 50 million people worldwide; nearly a third of these people have epilepsy that is not well controlled by a single antiepileptic drug (AED) and they usually require treatment with a combination of two or more AEDs. In recent years, many newer AEDs have been investigated […]
Intravenous immunoglobulins for epilepsy
Abstract Background Epilepsy is a common neurological condition, with an estimated incidence of 50 per 100,000 persons. People with epilepsy may present with various types of immunological abnormalities, such as low serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels, lack of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass and identification of certain types of antibodies. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment may […]
Topiramate add-on for drug-resistant partial epilepsy
Abstract Background The majority of people with epilepsy have a good prognosis and their seizures are controlled by a single antiepileptic drug. However, up to 20% of patients from population‐based studies, and up to 30% from clinical series (not population‐based), develop drug‐resistant epilepsy, especially those with focal‐onset seizures. In this review, we summarise the current […]
Tiagabine add-on for drug-resistant partial epilepsy
Abstract Background Epilepsy is a common neurological condition that affects up to 1% of the population. Nearly 30% of people with epilepsy are resistant to currently available antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and require treatment with multiple antiepileptic drugs in combination. Tiagabine is one of the newer AEDs that can be used as an adjunct (add‐on) to […]