Cannabidiol as an adjuvant treatment in adults with drug-resistant focal epilepsy
Silvia Kochen 1, Manuela Villanueva 1, Liliana Bayarres 1, Anilu Daza-Restrepo, Silvia Gonzalez Martinez, Silvia Oddo 1
Neurosciences and Complex Systems Unit (ENyS), Epilepsy Unit, Hospital El Cruce “Nestor Kirchner”. CONICET. National University Arturo Jauretche (UNAJ), F. Varela, Prov. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Affiliationer
Cannabidiol oil (CBD) has been approved as an anti-seizure medication for the treatment of uncommon types of epilepsy, occurring in children: Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. There are few publications in relation to use the CBD in adult patients with focal drug-resistant epilepsy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, safety, and quality of life, of adjuvant treatment with CBD, in adult patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy for at least 6 months.
An open, observational, prospective cohort study was conducted using a before-after design (time series) in adult patients undergoing outpatient follow-up in a public hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
From a total of 44 patients, 5% of patients were seizure-free, 32% of patients reduced more than 80% of their seizures and 87% of patients reduced 50% of their monthly seizures. Eleven percent presented a decrease of less than 50% in seizure frequency.
The average final dose was 335 mg/d orally administered. Thirty-four percent of patients reported mild adverse events and no patient reported severe adverse effects. At the end of the study, we found in most patients a significant improvement in the quality of life, in all the items evaluated.
Adjuvant treatment with CBD in adult patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy was effective, safe, well tolerated, and associated with a significant improvement in their quality of life.