Cannabidiol as an adjuvant treatment in adults with drug-resistant focal epilepsy

KOCHEN, SILVIA; VILLANUEVA, MANUELA; BAYARRES, LILIANA; DAZA-RESTREPO, ANILU; GONZALEZ MARTINEZ, SILVIA; ODDO, SILVIA

EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR (PRINT)

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Año: 2023 vol. 144

1525-5050

Cannabidiol oil (CBD) has been approved as an anti-seizure medication for the treatment of uncommontypes of epilepsy, occurring in children: Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and TuberousSclerosis Complex. There are few publications in relation to use the CBD in adult patients with focaldrug-resistant epilepsy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, safety, andquality of life, of adjuvant treatment with CBD, in adult patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy forat 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% oftheir seizures and 87% of patients reduced 50% of their monthly seizures. Eleven percent presented adecrease of less than 50% in seizure frequency.The average final dose was 335 mg/d orally administered. Thirty-four percent of patients reported mildadverse events and no patient reported severe adverse effects. At the end of the study, we found in mostpatients 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. 2023 Published by Elsevier Inc.