ObjectiveTo explore the prognostic value of normal 24 hour video electroencephalography (VEEG) with different frequency on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) withdrawal in cryptogenic epilepsy patients with three years seizure-free. MethodsA retrospective study was conducted in the Neurology outpatient and the Epilepsy Center of Xi Jing Hospital. The subject who had been seizure free more than 3 years were divided into continual normal twice group and once group according to the nomal frequence of 24 hour VEEG before discontinuation from January 2013 to December 2014, and then followed up to replase or to December 2015. The recurrence and cumulative recurrence rate of the two group after withdrawal AEDs were compared with chi-square or Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier survival curve. A Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis to identify the risk factors for seizure recurrence after univariate analysis. P value < 0.05 was considered significant, and all P values were two-tailed. Results95 epilepsy patients with cause unknown between 9 to 45 years old were recruited (63 in normal twice group and 32 in normal once group). The cumulated recurrence rates in continual two normal VEEG group vs one normal VEEG group were 4.8% vs 21.9% (P=0.028), 4.8% vs 25% (P=0.006) and 7.9% vs 25%(P=0.03) at 18 months, 24 months and endpoint following AEDs withdrawal and there was statistically difference between the two groups. Factors associated with increased risk were adolescent onset epilepsy (HR=2.404), history of withdrawal recurrence (HR=7.186) and abnormal VEEG (epileptic-form discharge) (HR=8.222) during or after withdrawal AEDs. The recurrence rate of each group in which abnormal VEEG vs unchanged VEEG during or after withdrawal AEDs was respectively 100% vs 4.92% (P=0.005), 80% vs 19.23%(P=0.009). ConclusionsContinual normal 24h VEEG twice before withdrawal AEDs had higher predicting value of seizure recurrence and it could guide physicians to make the withdrawal decision. Epileptic patients with adolescent onset epilepsy, history of seizure recurrence and abnormal VEEG (epileptic-form discharge) during or after withdrawal AEDs had high risk of replase, especially patients with the presence of VEEG abnormalities is associated with a high probability of seizures occurring. Discontinuate AEDs should be cautious.
Objectives To investigate the effects of new antiepileptic drugs [oxcarbazepine (OXC), levetiracetam (LEV), lamotrigine (LTG)] on thyroid hormones in male adults with epilepsy. Methods Thirty-eight newly diagnosed male adult patients with epilepsy were enrolled in the Epilepsy Center of Sichuan Province People's Hospital from April 2015 to November 2016. The diagnosis was in line with the classification of epilepsy defined by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE, 1981). Only patients with generalized or secondary generalized epilepsy were recruited into the present study. Individual treatment with OXC, LEV, or LTG was randomly assigned to the 38 patients. Thyroid hormones was measured before treatment and 6 months after taking the medicine. Followed by an analysis of the comparison between the treated patients and healthy volunteers (healthy controls) as well as the changes and differences between the patients themselves before and after treatment. Results There was no significant difference in the thyroid hormone levels between male patients with epilepsy before taking the medicine and healthy controls (P>0.05). After 6 months, total thyroxine (TT4) and free thyroxine (FT4) in OXC group was significantly lower than the baseline (P<0.05). However, the thyroid hormone levels in the LEV group and LTG group showed no statistical difference before and after treatment (P>0.05). Conclusions OXC can reduce serum total thyroxine (TT4) and free thyroxine (FT4), which might be harmful to thyroid hormone of patients.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the influence of antiepileptic drugs on bone mineral density and bone metabolism in adults.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, CNKI, CBM, VIP and WanFang Data databases were electronically searched to collect studies on the influence on antiepileptic drugs on the bone mineral density and bone metabolism in adults from inception to April 1st, 2018. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 14 studies were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: VPA could decline the bone mineral density of lumbar spine (SMD=–0.39, 95%CI –0.65 to –0.13, P=0.003); CBZ (SMD=–0.71, 95%CI –1.08 to –0.33, P=0.000 2) and VPA (SMD=–0.3, 95%CI –0.58 to –0.02, P=0.03) could decline the bone mineral density of femoral neck; CBZ could decline the bone mineral density of total hip (SMD=–0.47, 95%CI –0.84 to –0.10, P=0.01). Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 was decreased in OXC group (SMD=–0.67, 95%CI –1.28 to –0.05, P=0.03); serum calcium was decreased in CBZ (SMD=–0.49, 95%CI –0.78 to –0.20, P=0.000 8), LEV (SMD=–0.83, 95%CI –1.15 to –0.51, P<0.000 01) and OXC (SMD=–0.48, 95%CI –0.90 to –0.05, P=0.03) group; serum phosphorus was decreased in LEV group (SMD=–11.36, 95%CI –12.97 to –9.76, P<0.000 01). Serum alkaline phosphatase was increased significantly in LEV (SMD=6.79, 95%CI 5.78 to 7.80, P<0.000 01) and CBZ (SMD=1.90, 95%CI 1.35 to 2.44, P<0.000 01) group.ConclusionsCurrent evidence shows that treatment with antiepileptic drugs may be associated with an decreasing bone mineral density and influence bone metabolism in epileptic adults. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are required to verify above conclusion.
ObjectivesUsing systematic literature review to analyze the effects of levetiracetam (LEV) on neonatal safety during early pregnancy.MethodsThe scope of the literature must be English literature, published from 1997 to 2018. Meta-analysis was performed by random effects models.ResultsSeven literatures were included. A total of 672 cases exposed to LEV in treatment group and 772 234 cases in control groups were selected for meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in neonatal malignancy between treatment group and control group［OR=1.05, 95% CI (0.54, 2.02), P=0.37］. Further, we evaluated the effect of LEV monotherapy and polytherapy on neonatal safety, a total of 464 monotherapy cases and 632 polytherapy cases respectively were selected for meta-analysis. The results showed that there was no significant difference between these two therapies in neonatal malignancy ［OR=0.54, 95% CI(0.31, 0.96), P=0.32］.ConclusionsAs the papers we included, levetiracetam in the treatment of epilepsy during pregnancy is relatively safe for newborn.