A Muliticenter Retrospective Study of the Actual Using Patterns and Clinical Effects of Topiramate in Patients with Neurosurgical Disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study is to investigate the actual using patterns and clinical effects of topiramate in patients with neurosurgical disease as antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in 94 korean multicenters. METHODS: A total of 7,152 patients who had taken topiramate for at least 3 months between August 2008 and February 2009 were eligible to participate in this study. We evaluated demographic data, disease entities, duration of topiramate administration, initial and subsequent dosage adjustment, concomitant AEDs, the frequency of seizure reduction, and adverse events. RESULTS: Topiramate was commonly prescribed in stroke (38%) and head trauma group (36%). In the dosage of topiramate, the mean initial dosage was 65 mg/day, and the mean maintenance dosage was adjusted into 105 mg/day. The mean duration of the initial dosage for topiramate administration was 24 days, and the mean duration of the maintenance dosage was 125 days, respectively. Among groups with prophylactic administration, 98% did not develop convulsion and among groups with therapeutic administration, 2% was ineffective to control seizure. After taking topiramate, 2% patients showed adverse events, that sensory aberration was the most common. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that topiramate prescribe widely in diverse neurosurgical disorders, and effective in reduction of seizure frequency, and does not cause serious adverse effects comparable with old AEDs.