Purpose The Eslicarbazepine acetate in Partial-Onset Seizures (EPOS) study investigated the effectiveness and safety/tolerability of eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) as add-on to antiepileptic monotherapy in everyday clinical practice. An analysis of ESL's effectiveness by baseline antiepileptic drug is presented.

Method Adult patients with uncontrolled partial-onset seizures under antiepileptic monotherapy, whose clinician had previously and independently decided to initiate ESL add-on therapy, were included. Retention rate, responder rate and change from baseline in Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-10 (QOLIE-10) scores were assessed after 6 months according to the most frequent baseline monotherapies (>5% of patients).

Results Of 219 patients included, 85, 57, 31 and 14 received baseline monotherapy with levetiracetam (LEV), lamotrigine (LTG), valproate (VAL) and carbamazepine (CBZ), respectively. Retention rates were 100% (CBZ), 85.5% (LEV), 80.0% (VAL) and 75.9% (LTG). Responder rates were 92.9% (CBZ), 88.5% (VAL), 81.9% (LEV) and 69.8% (LTG). Mean changes in QOLIE-10 scores were −20.1% (LEV), −16.7% (LTG) and −13.1% (VAL); not calculated for CBZ due to low numbers.

Conclusion The retention, efficacy and impact on quality of life of ESL were favourable regardless of the type of monotherapy to which it was added. The analysis was limited by low subgroup patient numbers.

Supported by Eisai.