Faculty Bibliography

Few studies have examined the issues that are specific to the older person with epilepsy, a population of increasing prominence in epilepsy management. Our understanding of the impact of epilepsy in the older person is based predominantly on what is inferred from studies of younger adults. Consequently, there is relatively little documented about the impact of epilepsy on the everyday lives of older people. In this article, we focus on adherence and its consequences for the physical, social, and psychological well-being of the older person. A number of strategies are proposed to improve adherence, including patient education through better communication between physician and patient; simplification of the medical regime; and use of extended-release formulations. This issue highlights that to ameliorate the impact of epilepsy for the older person with epilepsy, a greater understanding is required so that appropriate interventions can be tailored.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To assess anger/hostility during treatment with lamotrigine adjunctive therapy versus levetiracetam adjunctive therapy in patients with partial seizures. METHODS:This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study in adults with partial seizures included an 8-week escalation phase, during which adjunctive lamotrigine (n = 132) or adjunctive levetiracetam (n = 136) was titrated to a target dose, and a 12-week, double-blind maintenance phase, during which dosages of study medication and concomitant antiepileptic drugs were maintained. The primary endpoint was change from baseline to the end of the maintenance phase (week 20) in the Anger-Hostility subscale score of the Profile of Mood States (POMS). RESULTS:Improvement with lamotrigine relative to levetiracetam was observed for mean +/- SD (standard deviation) change from baseline to the end of the maintenance phase (week 20) on the Anger-Hostility subscale (lamotrigine -2.0 +/- 8.2, levetiracetam -0.3 +/- 8.4; p = 0.024) (the primary endpoint); the Anger-Hostility subscale on weeks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 19; and the Total Mood Disturbance score on weeks 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 17, 19, and 20. Improvement (p < 0.05) with lamotrigine relative to levetiracetam was also observed on the POMS subscales Depression-Dejection, Vigor-Activity, Fatigue-Inertia, and Confusion-Bewilderment. No difference in seizure frequency was observed between groups. The most common adverse events with both medications were headache and dizziness. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS:Adjunctive lamotrigine significantly improved Anger-Hostility subscale scores relative to adjunctive levetiracetam in patients with partial seizures at the end of 20 weeks. This difference was consistently observed throughout the treatment period. Similar improvement with lamotrigine versus levetiracetam was observed for other mood symptoms.

Retrospective insurance claims from the United States were analyzed to assess nonadherence to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and the association between AED nonadherence, seizures, and health care costs in elderly persons with epilepsy. Inclusion criteria were: age 65, epilepsy diagnosis between 1 January 2000 and 31 June 2006, 2 AED prescriptions, and insurance enrollment for 6 months pre- and 12 months post-AED initiation. Adherence was evaluated using the medication possession ratio (MPR), with MPR<0.8 defining nonadherence. Per-patient outcomes were evaluated over 12 months post-AED initiation. Of 1278 patients identified, 41% were nonadherent. Seizure, defined by epilepsy-related inpatient or emergency department admission, occurred in 12.1% of nonadherers versus 8.2% of adherers (P=0.0212). Nonadherers had higher inpatient (+$872, P=0.001), emergency department (+$143, P=0.0008), other outpatient ancillary (+$1741, P=0.0081), and total health care (+$2674, P=0.0059) costs. AED adherence among elderly patients with epilepsy is suboptimal and associated with increased seizures and health care costs.

This study evaluated the potential effect of antiepileptic drug (AED) nonadherence on the risk of subsequent seizure. Retrospective insurance claims from the United States were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were: age 21-64 years, diagnosis of epilepsy or nonfebrile convulsions, 2 AED prescriptions, and insurance enrollment for 6 months pre- and 60 days post-AED initiation. Seizure was defined as a hospital or emergency admission associated with epilepsy or nonfebrile convulsions. Observation began 7 days post-drug initiation, ending with the first of the following: seizure, insurance disenrollment, or 365 days post-drug initiation. Adherence was measured using the medication possession ratio (MPR), with MPR <0.8 defining nonadherence. Seizure risk was assessed using an extended Cox proportional hazards model. Of 18,073 subjects identified, 2467 (14%) had 1 seizure. Mean follow-up was 133 days among subjects with event and 305 days for patients without event. Seizure risk was 21% higher among nonadherers (hazard ratio=1.205, P=0.0002) than adherers.

Musicogenic epilepsy (ME) is a condition in which seizures are triggered by music. We describe a novel investigation of the mechanisms of ME using noninvasive (ictal 2-flurodeoxyglucose (2-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)) and invasive (subdural arrays and depth electrodes) methodology in one patient with ME. Ictal PET defined onsets in the right mesial temporal lobe. This was confirmed by intracranial electrode recordings, where there was onset in the right mesial temporal lobe, followed by sequential spread to the lateral temporal cortex, Heschel's gyrus, insula, and frontal lobes. Right temporal lobectomy resulted in Engel class 1 outcome