Our results are consistent with these literature data. Regarding psychomotor slowness our results are consistent with literature data that shows that patients with brain tumor-related see more epilepsy taking CBZ, VPA, PB and PHT performed worse in all cognitive domains than patients who did not undergo any AED therapy [6]. It is important to note that literature data cites cognitive impairment in brain tumor patients as much more common than the physical
disability [27, 28]. Such impairment is the major variable which influences RO4929097 mouse quality of life in patients with epilepsy [29]. For this reason, the choice of an AED which does not impair cognitive functioning is of primary importance for patients with brain tumor-related epilepsy. Concerning efficacy, we observed a similarly good profile of efficacy over time in the two groups of treatment, with a significant reduction in number of seizures. However, the comparison between treatment groups is not significant. Studies C188-9 nmr to date dedicated specifically to the efficacy of the new AEDs in controlling seizures in patients with brain tumor-related epilepsy, are very recent [9–12]. In the literature only one study examined OXC monotherapy only in patients with brain tumor-related
epilepsy [11]. This study was conducted for preventing perioperative seizures in patients with brain tumors. In the other studies, OXC is one of many drugs tested [14, 15, 30]. Recently, one study was done using OXC monotherapy in Adenosine patients with cryptogenetic or symptomatic epilepsy [31]. In this study the efficacy of OXC is significantly more pronounced in patients with cryptogenetic epilepsy than in patients with brain tumors. Our study is the first
that uses only OXC in epilepsy related to brain tumor, with a long-term follow up and with a good efficacy. With regard to follow-up, it is important to point out the difficulty that the death of patients poses in studies of patients with this type of cancer. It should be noted that the mortality rate of patients with brain tumors makes long-term studies difficult and presents problems already at the onset with obtaining a significant number of participants for studies. In the two groups, the follow up varied from 2 to 48 months: this variability is due to deceased patients. This has already been mentioned as being a serious drawback to studies on this patient population. In our study, both groups of patients were in treatment with chemotherapy, and data in the literature indicate that chemotherapy could play a role in seizure control [32]. Therefore, the fact that systemic therapy might have affected the outcome cannot be excluded.