[Anticonvulsant treatment with zonisamide added to topiramate. A preliminary treatment analysis in 19 patients]

Abstract

We analysed patients with focal epilepsies treated with zonisamide (ZNS) as add-on treatment to topiramate (TPM) and other antiepileptic drugs (mean 2). Twenty-five patients were evaluated, and follow-up data were available in 19 (12 women, seven men, mean age 34 years). The mean time until first follow-up investigation was 17 weeks. At that point in time the mean ZNS dosage was 344 mg and mean TPM dosage was 398 mg. Eight patients (42%) achieved seizure frequency reduced by at least 50%. Six patients (31%) reported side effects, especially cognitive impairment and weight loss (>5 kg) in two patients. In the further course of treatment, ZNS was discontinued in two of three patients because of cognitive impairment. We conclude that add-on treatment including ZNS and TPM can not be recommended for chronic treatment of epilepsy.