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Related Experiment Videos

Zonisamide for drug-resistant partial epilepsy.

D W Chadwick1, A G Marson

  • 1Department of Neurological Science, The Walton Centre for Neurology & Neurosurgery, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK, L9 7LJ. bessan-p@wcnn.co.uk

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|May 5, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Zonisamide demonstrates efficacy as an add-on treatment for drug-resistant partial epilepsy, significantly reducing seizure frequency. However, optimal dosing and long-term effectiveness require further investigation.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Up to 30% of epilepsy patients develop drug-resistant epilepsy, particularly those with partial seizures.
  • Zonisamide is an antiepileptic drug evaluated for add-on therapy in refractory epilepsy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of zonisamide as an add-on treatment for drug-resistant partial epilepsy.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled add-on trials of zonisamide.
  • Searched Cochrane Epilepsy Group trial register and contacted pharmaceutical companies.
  • Assessed seizure frequency reduction, treatment withdrawal, and adverse events.

Main Results:

  • Three trials involving 499 patients showed zonisamide (400mg/day) significantly increased 50% seizure reduction compared to placebo (OR 2.72).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Treatment withdrawal (OR 1.74) and adverse events like ataxia, somnolence, agitation, and anorexia were significantly associated with zonisamide.
  • Insufficient evidence for dose-response relationship or longer-term effectiveness.

    • Conclusions:

    • Zonisamide is effective as an add-on therapy for drug-resistant partial epilepsy.
    • Minimum effective and maximum tolerated doses could not be determined.
    • Results are limited to 12-week trials and specific epilepsy types; not applicable to monotherapy or other seizure types.