Preliminary report on effects of oxcarbazepine-treatment on serum lipid levels in children.

The aim of the present study was to assess serum lipid levels before and after treatment with oxcarbazepine (OXC) in children with epilepsy. We measured total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in 28 patients whereas only TC levels in 11 patients, during baseline period and at 3 months after the beginning of therapy with OXC. During baseline period, median values were: 4.38 mmol/l (IQR = 4.12-5.03) for TC levels, 1.72 mmol/l (IQR = 1.42-2.01) for HDL-C levels and 1.54 mmol/l (IQR = 1.29-1.96) for TGs levels. At 3 months, median values were: 4.38 mmol/l (4.10-4.95) for TC levels (P < 0.05), 1.57 mmol/l (1.34-1.93) for HDL-C levels (P < 0.005) and 1.8 mmol/l (1.23-2.34) for TGs levels (P < 0.05). Median serum lipid levels remained in the normal range, despite an increasing-trend at 3 months of treatment with OXC. Further studies are necessary to confirm these results.

Open prospective study on oxcarbazepine in epilepsy in children: a preliminary report.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term efficacy, tolerability, and safety of oxcarbazepine (OXC) in children with epilepsy. METHODS: We enrolled 36 patients (median age 7.75) with new diagnosis of partial epilepsy in an open prospective study. All type of epilepsy were included: 25 patients were affected by idiopathic epilepsy, eight by symptomatic epilepsy and three by cryptogenic epilepsy. Patients were then scheduled to come back for controls at 3 months (T1), 12 months (T2) and 24 months (T3) after the beginning of OXC-monotherapy (T0). At each control we evaluated patients through their seizure diary, a questionnaire on side effects, their level of 10-monohydroxy (MHD) metabolite and laboratory analysis. RESULTS: At T1, 21/36 patients (58.3%) were seizure-free, 3/36 patients (8.3%) showed an improvement higher than 50%, 3/36 (8.3%) lower than 50%, while 2/36 worsened (5.6%). In 7/36 (19.5%) patients, no improvement was reported. At T2 13/18 patients (72.2%) were seizure-free, 1/18 showed a response to therapy higher than 50% while 2/18 worsened (11%). In two patients no improvement was reported. A correspondence between MHD plasmatic levels and clinical response (r=0.49; p<0.05) was only registered at T1. An EEG normalization was observed in 25% of cases. Side effects were reported in 25% of cases, but symptoms progressively disappeared at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: We can therefore conclude that OXC can be considered, for its efficacy and safety, as a first line drug in children with epilepsy.