Experience with Eslicarbazepine Acetate Treatment at a Pediatric Epilepsy Center

Abstract Eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) is a novel, once-daily antiseizure medication. We evaluated the efficacy and safety profile of ESL treatment in epilepsy patients at a single tertiary epilepsy center. In this retrospective observational study, we included 32 patients with pharmacologically intractable epilepsy receiving ESL at Boston Children's Hospital from June 2014 to June 2018. We assessed treatment outcome in terms of efficacy and tolerability at first and last follow-up (f/u). Median age was 17 (interquartile range: 10.8–20.7; range: 6.5–36) years. Twelve (37.5%) patients, including three with seizure freedom, were responders at last f/u. Eleven patients discontinued ESL due to seizure worsening (9, 28%), adverse events (AEs) (2, 6%) or both (4, 12%). Responders showed greater seizure reduction at last f/u with fewer AEs as compared with nonresponders. Ten (31%) patients developed AEs, the most common being sleep problems (5, 15%). One-year retention rate with ESL treatment was 54%. In conclusion, ESL had a good response rate in patients with pharmacologically intractable epilepsy, with about one-third of patients developing AEs.