[GEOS (Gabitril Epilepsy Observational Study) -- Polish results of the international study of tiagabine in partial epilepsy].
Tiagabine (TGB) is a new antiepileptic drug with a unique mechanism of action, with efficacy and tolerance confirmed in many randomized, placebo-controlled add-on trials in patients with partial epilepsy. The main aim of the international GEOS study (Gabitril Epilepsy Observational Study) was to analyze the efficacy and safety of TGB as an add-on therapy in everyday clinical practice. 260 patients from Poland (1227 in the whole study) were enrolled (mean age 35.0+/-13.7 years). 53% had symptomatic epilepsy, 25% idiopathic, 12% cryptogenic, in remaining 10% of patients the etiology of the epileptic syndrome had not been determined. 69% of patients had complex partial seizures (CPS), 60% of patients had secondary generalized tonic clonic seizures (SGTCS) and 32% of patients had simple partial seizures (SPS). The patients were observed for 12 months. The full study was completed by 201 (76%) of patients. The mean TGB dose received at the end of the study was 31,3+/-12 mg/day. At the end of the study, i. e. after 12 months, 75% patients with SP, 67% patients with SGTCS and 48% patients with CPS were free of seizures. 94% of patients with SPS, 92% patients with SGTCS and 91% of patients with CPS had 50% or more reduction in seizures versus baseline. TGB was well-tolerated, adverse events appeared in 14% of patients and had mild or moderate severity. The obtained results confirmed that TGB was effective and well-tolerated in everyday clinical practice when given as add-on therapy to patients with partial epilepsy.