Lamotrigine therapy for partial seizures: a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over trial

The efficacy and safety of lamotrigine (LTG), a new antiepileptic drug (AED), were evaluated in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of 98 patients with refractory partial seizures. Each treatment period lasted 14 weeks. Most patients were titrated to a LTG maintenance dose of 400 mg/day. Seizure frequency with LTG decreased by > or = 50%, as compared with placebo, in one fifth of patients. Overall median seizure frequency decreased by 25% with LTG as compared with placebo (p < 0.001). With LTG, the number of seizure days decreased by 18% as compared with placebo (p < 0.01), and investigator global evaluation of overall patient clinical status favored LTG by 2:1 (p = 0.013). Plasma LTG concentrations appeared to be linearly related to dosage. LTG had no clinically important effects on the plasma concentrations of concomitant AEDs. Adverse experiences were generally minor and most frequently were CNS-related (e.g., ataxia, dizziness, diplopia, headache). Most were transient and resolved without discontinuing treatment. Five patients withdrew as a result of adverse experiences while receiving LTG, including 3 patients with rash. One placebo patient was also withdrawn because of rash. The addition of twice-daily LTG to an existing AED regimen was safe, effective, and well tolerated in these medically refractory partial seizure patients.