Prescription patterns of antiseizure drugs in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)-associated epilepsy: a multicenter cohort study from Germany and review of the literature

Strzelczyk, Adam; Grau, Janina; Bast, Thomas; Bertsche, Astrid; Bettendorf, Ulrich; Hahn, Andreas; Hartmann, Hans; Hertzberg, Christoph; Hornemann, Frauke; Immisch, Ilka; Jacobs, Julia; Klotz, Kerstin A.; Kluger, Gerhard; Knake, Susanne; Knuf, Markus; Kurlemann, Gerhard; Marquard, Klaus; Mayer, Thomas; Meyer, Sascha; Muhle, Hiltrud; Mueller-Schlueter, Karen; Podewils, Felix von; Rosenow, Felix; Ruf, Susanne; Sauter, Matthias; Schaefer, Hannah; Schlump, Jan-Ulrich; Schubert-Bast, Susanne; Syrbe, Steffen; Thiels, Charlotte; Trollmann, Regina; Wiemer-Kruel, Adelheid; Wilken, Bernd; Zukunft, Bianca and Zoellner, Johann Philipp (2021): Prescription patterns of antiseizure drugs in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)-associated epilepsy: a multicenter cohort study from Germany and review of the literature. In: Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, Vol. 14, No. 6: pp. 749-760

Abstract

Objective Seizures are a primary and early disease manifestation of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). We aimed to describe the age-stratified patterns of antiseizure drug (ASD) treatments among children, adolescents, and adults with TSC in Germany. Additionally, we reviewed real-world and clinical study evidence regarding ASD utilization in patients with TSC. Methods We evaluated the pattern of routine ASD use and everolimus prescriptions based on a 2019 multicenter survey of 268 individuals with TSC-associated epilepsy. We contextualized the results with a structured review of real-world and clinical study evidence. Results TSC-associated epilepsy treatment comprises a wide variety of ASDs. In this German sample, the majority of patients were treated with polytherapy, and lamotrigine (34.7%), valproate (32.8%), oxcarbazepine (28.7%), vigabatrin (19.0%), and levetiracetam (17.9%) were identified as the most-commonly used ASDs. In addition, everolimus was used by 32.5% of patients. In adherence to current TSC guidelines, the disease-modifying ASD vigabatrin was widely used in children (58% below the age of 5 years), whereas treatment in adults did not necessarily reflect guideline preference for (partial) GABAergic ASDs. Conclusions The selection of ASDs for patients with TSC-associated epilepsy follows well-evaluated recommendations, including the guidelines regarding vigabatrin use in children. Several characteristics, such as the comparatively high frequency of valproate use and polytherapy, reflect the severity of TSC-associated epilepsy.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 1751-2433
• Language: English