quetiapine-fumarate and Epilepsy

This study aimed to examine differential prescribing due to channeling and propensity score non-overlap over time in new versus established treatments for common neurological conditions. We conducted cross-sectional analyses on a national sample of US commercially insured adults using 2005-2019 data. We compared new users of recently approved versus established medications for management of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (pregabalin versus gabapentin), Parkinson disease psychosis (pimavanserin versus quetiapine), and epilepsy (brivaracetam versus levetiracetam). Within these drug pairs, we compared demographic, clinical, and healthcare utilization characteristics of recipients of each drug. In addition, we fit yearly propensity score models for each condition and assessed propensity score non-overlap over time. For all three drug pairs, users of the more recently approved medications more frequently had prior treatment (pregabalin = 73.9%, gabapentin = 38.7%; pimavanserin = 41.1%, quetiapine = 14.0%; brivaracetam = 93.4%, levetiracetam = 32.1%). Propensity score non-overlap and its resulting sample loss after trimming were the greatest in the first year that the more recently approved medication was available (diabetic peripheral neuropathy, 12.4% non-overlap; Parkinson disease psychosis, 6.1%; epilepsy, 43.2%) and subsequently improved. Newer neuropsychiatric therapies appear to be channeled to individuals with refractory disease or intolerance to other treatments, leading to potential confounding and biased comparative effectiveness and safety study findings when compared to established treatments. Propensity score non-overlap should be reported in comparative studies that include newer medications. When studies comparing newer and established treatments are critically needed as soon as new treatments enter the market, investigators should recognize the potential for channeling bias and implement methodological approaches like those demonstrated in this study to understand and improve this issue in such studies.

Topics: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetic Neuropathies; Epilepsy; Gabapentin; Humans; Levetiracetam; Parkinson Disease; Pregabalin; Quetiapine Fumarate

Antipsychotic drugs (APs) are of great benefit in several psychiatric disorders, but they can be associated with various adverse effects, including seizures. To investigate the effects of chronic antipsychotic treatment on seizure susceptibility in genetically epilepsy-prone rats, some APs were administered for 7 weeks, and seizure susceptibility (audiogenic seizures) was evaluated once a week during treatment and for 5 weeks after drug withdrawal. Furthermore, acute and subchronic (5-day treatment) effects were also measured. Rats received haloperidol (0.2-1.0 mg/kg), clozapine (1-5 mg/kg), risperidone (0.03-0.50 mg/kg), quetiapine (2-10 mg/kg), aripriprazole (0.2-1.0 mg/kg), and olanzapine (0.13-0.66 mg/kg), and tested according to treatment duration. Acute administration of APs had no effect on seizures, whereas, after regular treatment, aripiprazole reduced seizure severity; haloperidol had no effects and all other APs increased seizure severity. In chronically treated rats, clozapine showed the most marked proconvulsant effects, followed by risperidone and olanzapine. Quetiapine and haloperidol had only modest effects, and aripiprazole was anticonvulsant. Finally, the proconvulsant effects lasted at least 2-3 weeks after treatment suspension; for aripiprazole, a proconvulsant rebound effect was observed. Taken together, these results indicate and confirm that APs might have the potential to increase the severity of audiogenic seizures but that aripiprazole may exert anticonvulsant effects. The use of APs in patients, particularly in patients with epilepsy, should be monitored for seizure occurrence, including during the time after cessation of therapy. Further studies will determine whether aripiprazole really has a potential as an anticonvulsant drug and might also be clinically relevant for epileptic patients with psychiatric comorbidities.

Topics: Animals; Antipsychotic Agents; Aripiprazole; Benzodiazepines; Clozapine; Disease Models, Animal; Epilepsy; Haloperidol; Mental Disorders; Olanzapine; Quetiapine Fumarate; Rats; Risperidone; Seizures

Early treatment of epilepsy is warranted to avoid possible severe consequences. This study aimed to assess the value of treatment in a patient who developed epilepsy after major brain surgery.. Case description. A 51 years-old man had a history of putative petit mal seizures since adolescence and left frontotemporal lobectomy after a major traffic accident at age 17. He subsequently developed quickly generalizing partial complex seizures, associated with severe behavioural alterations and personality changes; the condition was left untreated. A further seizure-related loss of consciousness led to another traffic accident at age 47.. The patient was administered 200 mg/day topiramate, 600 mg/day quetiapine, 1000 mg/day valproate, 1200 mg/day gabapentin and 800 mg/day carbamazepine.. The instituted anti-epileptic treatment reduced seizure frequency and severity, but did not affect psychiatric symptomatology, which even worsened. An association between anti-epileptic drugs with mood stabilizing properties and an atypical anti-psychotic dramatically improved psychiatric symptoms, but did not prevent the patient from needing long-term healthcare.. Long-term untreated epilepsy may expose to accident proneness and further psychiatric deterioration. Early diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy may help in avoiding a potentially lethal vicious circle.

Topics: Accidents, Traffic; Aggression; Amines; Anterior Temporal Lobectomy; Anticonvulsants; Brain Injuries; Carbamazepine; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; Dibenzothiazepines; Disease Progression; Early Diagnosis; Epilepsy; Fructose; Gabapentin; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Humans; Italy; Male; Middle Aged; Personality Disorders; Quetiapine Fumarate; Time Factors; Topiramate; Treatment Outcome; Valproic Acid

Children and adolescents are being treated with antipsychotics more often than before, although the risk of adverse events in this age group still remains unclear. Because of increased use of antipsychotics in children and adolescents, their endocrine and metabolic side-effects (weight gain, obesity, and related metabolic deviations) are of particular worrying, especially within pediatric and adolescent population that appears to be at greater risk comparing with adults for antipsychotic-induced metabolic adverse events. In this work we will present the course of treatment of an adolescent girl with psychotic symptoms, within the clinical diagnosis of Organic delusional disorder, who had a considerable weight gain after one year of olanzapine treatment.

Topics: Adolescent; Anticonvulsants; Antipsychotic Agents; Benzodiazepines; Body Mass Index; Cooperative Behavior; Delayed-Action Preparations; Dibenzothiazepines; Drug Substitution; Drug Therapy, Combination; Epilepsy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; Lamotrigine; Neurocognitive Disorders; Olanzapine; Quetiapine Fumarate; Triazines; Weight Gain

Topics: Adult; Anticonvulsants; Antipsychotic Agents; Dibenzothiazepines; Epilepsy; Humans; Male; Psychotic Disorders; Quetiapine Fumarate