Subject: A retrospective cross-sectional, observational survey study to analyse role of
Oxcarbazepine as adjunctive therapy in children and adolescents with partial seizures
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that is characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate
epileptic seizures and the associated cognitive, psychological and social consequences.1
Epilepsy is among the most common of neurologic disorder seen in children, with incidence rates
ranging from 33.3 to 82 cases per 100,000 per year. The incidence is highest in the first year after
birth and decreases in the teen years.2
Monotherapy is the best pharmacotherapeutic option when first starting AED treatment.3 It is
reported that most patients could be successfully managed by monotherapy alone;4 however, up to
50% still need to be treated with combination therapy.5 If monotherapy is poorly tolerated or
ineffective, the strategy is to switch to another drug; and if the first drug has partial efficacy and is
well tolerated, it is worthwhile to try another drug in combination.6 However, add-on therapy has
been shown to be more effective when started immediately after first drug failure rather than after a
second drug has also failed.7 Among the two major types of epilepsy, partial-onset seizures (POS)
occur in more than 60% of patients and are the most commonly encountered type of seizure in the
adult population.
Commonly used medications for partial epilepsy include carbamazepine and lamotrigine valproate,
topiramate, oxcarbazepine, or gabapentin.8 Recommendations for the treatment of epilepsy in adult
and pediatric patients in Belgium: 2020 update mentions carbamazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam
and oxcarbazepine are recommended as first choice for focal seizure.9
Mechanism of action of oxcarbazepine and 10-monohydroxy metabolite MHD is presumably
attributed to the blockade of voltage sensitive sodium channels, thus resulting in stabilisation of
hyperexcited neural membranes, inhibition of repetitive neuronal firing and diminution of
propagation of synaptic impulses. These actions are considered important in the prevention of
seizure spread in the intact brain
Adjunctive therapy with oxcarbazepine in children with partial seizures shows patients treated with
OXC experienced a significantly greater median percent reduction from baseline in partial seizure
frequency than patients treated with placebo (p = 0.0001; 35% versus 9%, respectively). Forty-one
percent of patients treated with OXC experienced a ≥ 50% reduction from baseline in partial seizure
frequency per 28 days compared with 22% of patients treated with placebo (p = 0.0005). Ninety-one
percent of the group treated with OXC and 82% of the group treated with placebo reported ≥ 1
adverse event; vomiting, somnolence, dizziness, and nausea occurred more frequently (twofold or
greater) in the group treated with OXC.10
Oxcarbazepine tablets are marketed by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Although every product is
marketed only after regulatory approval, it is important to know how it performs in day-to-day
practice of individual medical practitioners. For this purpose, we have planned to conduct a survey to
assess the role of oxcarbazepine in patients of partial onset seizures.
We invite you to participate in this data collection activity. All you need to do is to report on a
standard form your experience with oxcarbazepine in the normal course of your practice. If you
agree to participate, you will need to fill data collection forms (which we call DCF).
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