Seizure control with antiepileptic drug therapy in 517 consecutive adult outpatients at the Kork Epilepsy Centre

In order to assess the efficacy of modern antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy, we collected data from 517 consecutive adult outpatients referred to our centre between March and August 2011. In total, 211 patients (40.8%) were treated with monotherapy, 208 patients (40.2%) with a combination of two AEDs, and for the remaining patients (n=98; 19%) more than two AEDs were combined. The most common AEDs were valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam. Of the recent AEDs, levetiracetamwas the leading drug with regards to drug combinations. Freedom of seizures for more than one year was achieved in 291 patients (56.3%). Under monotherapy, 168 patients (32.5% of all patients; 79.6% of patients with monotherapy) became seizure-free. Seizure-freedom with two AEDs was achieved in 103 patients (19.9% of all patients; 49.5% of patients with two AEDs) and in 20 patients with three AEDs (3.9% of all patients; 25.3% of patients with three AEDs). We conclude from this cross-sectional survey in a large patient group that combinations may still lead to treatment success in a considerable proportion of patients.