Neurology
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
A meta-analysis of individual patient responses to lamotrigine or carbamazepine monotherapy.
To compare the effects of carbamazepine and lamotrigine monotherapy for people with partial onset seizures or generalized onset tonic-clonic seizures. ⋯ Lamotrigine is significantly less likely to be withdrawn than carbamazepine, but results for time to first seizure suggest a nonsignificant trend that carbamazepine may be superior in terms of seizure control. Trials were of too short a duration to measure clinically important efficacy outcomes such as time to 12-month remission. Current industry-sponsored trials fail to adequately inform clinical practice and further more clinically relevant trials are needed in which longer-term outcomes are assessed before the place of lamotrigine in the treatment of epilepsy is defined.