Epileptiform activity index for assessing oxcarbazepin therapy of newly-diagnosed focal epilepsy in adolescents and adults

Introduction. Oxcarbazepine (OXC) is approved for initial and adjunctive therapy of focal epilepsy (FE), being also a drug of choice in case of pediatric FE. Despite that OXC has been used in the Russian Federation (RF) since 2007, studies assessing its efficacy and tolerability are scarce.Aim. To evaluate efficacy and tolerability of OXC therapy in patients with newly-diagnosed epilepsy.Patients and methods. There were enrolled 103 patients (56 (54.4%) into the study: males and 47 (45.6%) females with FE, aged 44.32±19.71 years. Depending on the OXC daily dose, all patients were divided into 3 subgroups: 1200 mg/day (n=16; 15.5%). Video-electroencephalographic (video-EEG) monitoring was performed at each visit (at baseline, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after then onset of therapy). Treatment efficacy was assessed by using the criteria of retention on treatment, seizure absence, seizure rate decrease by >50%, seizure rate decrease by