Oxcarbazepine monotherapy in carbamazepine-unresponsive trigeminal neuralgia.

Author(s): Gomez-Arguelles JM, Dorado R, Sepulveda JM, Herrera A, Arrojo FG, Aragon E, Huete CR, Terron C, Anciones B

Affiliation(s): Department of Neurology, Sanatorio De Nuestra Senora del Rosario, Principe De Vergara 53, 28006 Madrid, Spain.

Publication date & source: 2008-05, J Clin Neurosci., 15(5):516-9. Epub 2008 Apr 2.

Publication type: Clinical Trial

The objective of this prospective open-label study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of oxcarbazepine in trigeminal neuralgia (TN) unresponsive to treatment with the standard antiepileptic drug, carbamazepine. Thirty-five patients with idiopathic TN, who underwent treatment with oxcarbazepine monotherapy for at least 12 weeks, were studied. Pain was assessed using mean pain frequency, responder rate, pain-free patients and clinical global impression. The mean maintenance dose was 773.7 mg/day. There was a significant decrease in the mean of the main scores following 12 weeks of treatment (p<0.05) compared with baseline. Oxcarbazepine was effective from the first month of treatment. There was a significant reduction in pain frequency, leading to improvements in patient satisfaction. In general, oxcarbazepine was well tolerated. Oxcarbazepine appears to be an important alternative therapeutic approach for patients affected by TN. This study adds to the existing literature arriving at the same findings.