Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice

Efficacy of Lacosamide Add‑on Therapy on Refractory Focal Epilepsies in Children and Adolescents: An Open-Label Clinical Trial

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Tayebeh Mohammadi 1
. Jafar Nasiri 2
. Mohammad Reza Ghazavi 2
. Omid Yaghini 1
. Neda Hoseini 1

1 Department of Pediatrics, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Child Growth and Developmental Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract
Objective: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects 0.5%–1% 
of children. 30%–40% of patients are resistant to current anti-epileptic drugs. 
Lacosamide (LCM) appeared to be effective, safe, and well tolerated in children 
and adolescents. This study was aimed to evaluate whether LCM could be an 
effective add-on therapy in children with refractory focal epilepsies. Methods: This 
study was conducted from April 2020 to April 2021 in Imam Hossein Children 
Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. We included 44 children aged 6 months to 16 years with 
refractory focal epilepsy (based on International League Against Epilepsy criteria). 
LCM was given in divided doses of 2 mg/kg/day, increasing by 2 mg/kg every 
week. The first follow‑up visit was 6 weeks later, when all patients had reached 
the therapeutic dose. Findings: The average age of the patients was 89.9 months. 
72.5% of children had focal motor seizures. Evaluation of percent change in seizure 
frequency and duration before and after treatment showed a 53.22% reduction in 
seizure frequency and 43.72% reduction in seizure duration after treatment. Our 
study group tolerated LCM well, with few side effects. Headache, dizziness, and 
nausea were common side effects. In line with other studies, none of the suspected 
risk factors could predict response to LCM treatment. Conclusion: LCM appears 
to be an effective, safe, and well-tolerated medication in children with uncontrolled 
drug-resistant focal epilepsy.

Keywords

Drug resistant epilepsy
Lacosamide
partial epilepsy
pediatrics
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Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice
Volume 11, Issue 3
Summer 2022
Pages 109-115

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