The LaLiMo Trial: lamotrigine compared with levetiracetam in the initial 26 weeks of monotherapy for focal and generalised epilepsy—an open-label, prospective, randomised controlled multicenter study

Abstract

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00242606.

Specific adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs — A true-to-life monotherapy study

“…This AE is rarely, if at all, reported in randomized controlled monotherapy trials including lamotrigine [29,30]. The U.K. trials on standard and new antiepileptic drugs (SANAD) in generalized [31] and partial epilepsies [32] reported confusion/difficulties thinking/disorientation, which is a broader and probably more severe AE compared with concentration difficulties, in 1.3% and 2.1% of patients taking lamotrigine, respectively, without differences compared with valproic acid (1.3%) and carbamazepine (2.4%).…”

“…However, the current unequivocal finding should urge physicians to specifically ask patients taking lamotrigine about problems with concentration. Agitation/nervousness with use of lamotrigine has not been indicated in randomized controlled trials [29,30], and the SANAD data reporting the broader AE category anxiety/agitation/nervousness are ambiguous in regard to this AED [31,32].…”

Trends in Antiepileptic Drug Prescriptions for Childhood Epilepsy at a Tertiary Children’s Hospital in Korea, 2001–2012

“…Although levetiracetam is a popular AED in adult patients [27] and its efficacy in the initial monotherapy for patients aged 12 years was demonstrated to be comparable to lamotrigine [28], a low usage of levetiracetam was observed in this study. Its late introduction in Korea and restricted indications for pediatric epilepsy might explain this low usage.…”

An update of the Hong Kong Epilepsy Guideline: consensus statement on the use of antiepileptic drugs in Hong Kong

“…Both studies demonstrated that LEV was as efficacious as the other standard regimens. 4,5 The evidence in the paediatric population was generally positive. 3,4,6,7 At the opposite end of the spectrum, geriatric patients were also shown in a Class II study to benefit from LEV monotherapy.…”

“…4,5 The evidence in the paediatric population was generally positive. 3,4,6,7 At the opposite end of the spectrum, geriatric patients were also shown in a Class II study to benefit from LEV monotherapy. 8 One Class II study detailed the conversion of treatment in patients with existing partial-onset epilepsy to extended-release LEV monotherapy.…”