RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Weight change associated with antiepileptic drugs
JF Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
JO J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 796
OP 799
DO 10.1136/jnnp-2012-303688
VO 84
IS 7
A1 Pickrell, William Owen
A1 Lacey, Arron S
A1 Thomas, Rhys H
A1 Smith, Philip E M
A1 Rees, Mark I
YR 2013
UL http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/84/7/796.abstract
AB Aim To investigate antiepileptic drug (AED)-related weight changes in patients with epilepsy through a retrospective observational study. Method We analysed the anonymised electronic primary care records of 1.1 million adult patients in Wales. We included patients aged 18 years and over with a diagnosis of epilepsy, whose body weight had been measured up to 12 months before starting, and between 3 and 12 months after starting, one of five AEDs. We calculated the weight difference after starting the AED for each patient. Results 1423 patients were identified in total. The mean difference between body weight after and before starting each AED (together with 95% CI and p values for no difference) were: carbamazepine (CBZ) 0.43 (−0.19 to 1.05) p=0.17; lamotrigine (LTG) 0.31 (−0.38 to 1.00) p=0.38; levetiracetam (LEV) 1.00 (0.16 to 1.84) p=0.02; sodium valproate (VPA) 0.74 (0.10 to 1.38) p=0.02; topiramate (TPM) −2.30 (−4.27 to −0.33) p=0.02. Conclusions LEV and VPA were associated with significant weight gain, TPM was associated with significant weight loss, and LTG and CBZ were not associated with significant weight change.