Oxcarbazepine reduces seizure frequency in a high proportion of patients with both newly diagnosed and refractory partial seizures in clinical practice

SummaryThe antiepileptic efficacy and tolerability of oxcarbazepine, used both as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy, were observed for 1 year in 202 adult patients, aged 17–83 years, with newly diagnosed or refractory partial epilepsy in clinical practice in Italy. At first observation, the seizure free rate was 72.2% in newly diagnosed patients given monotherapy, 40% in patients in whom oxcarbazepine replaced another monotherapy and 10.3% in patients given oxcarbazepine as adjunctive therapy. At least 50% reduction in seizure frequency was achieved in 90.7, 72 and 57%, respectively. Efficacy increased with the duration of treatment (p