{"title":"Efficacy and safety of lacosamide in patients with trigeminal neuralgia: an 8-week pilot dose-escalation study.","authors":"Pramot Lappichetpaiboon, Somsak Tiamkao, Supanigar Ruangsri, Jarin Paphangkorakit, Waranuch Pitiphat, Teekayu P Jorns","doi":"10.22514/jofph.2025.011","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe neuropathic pain condition in the orofacial region, with carbamazepine recommended as the first-line treatment. Nonetheless, its application is constrained by unfavorable drug responses and side effects. The objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness and safety of lacosamide, a third-generation anticonvulsant, in individuals with TN, and to juxtapose the findings with observational records from recently diagnosed TN patients who underwent carbamazepine monotherapy within the corresponding timeframe.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An 8-week flexible dose titration of lacosamide was performed on newly diagnosed 12 TN patients who were divided into two groups: 200 mg/day (n = 5), and 400 mg/day (n = 7). Outcome measures included average pain score, Brief Pain Inventory-facial scores, and side effects. Patients were followed-up at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after baseline.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The percentage change of pain score at 4-week visit was compared between both lacosamide groups and patients receiving carbamazepine (n = 6) for four weeks during concurrent period. Both lacosamide groups experienced a decrease in pain score at 2-week follow-up, and differences in average pain score reduction were not observed between the two groups across all visits (<i>p</i> > 0.05). The mean Brief Pain Inventory-facial score in the lacosamide 200 mg/day group was higher than that in the 400 mg/day group at the 2-week follow-up (<i>p</i> = 0.03). Interestingly, the 4-week follow-up revealed that there were no significant variances in pain intensity between the lacosamide and the contemporaneous carbamazepine cohorts (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Frequently noted adverse events were mild somnolence (n = 9), slight vertigo (n = 5), and emotional lability (n = 2) without instances of severe adverse drug responses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Lacosamide demonstrates potential as a therapeutic option for patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial registration: </strong>TCTR20210811002.</p>","PeriodicalId":48800,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache","volume":"39 1","pages":"119-127"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11934738/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.22514/jofph.2025.011","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/3/12 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe neuropathic pain condition in the orofacial region, with carbamazepine recommended as the first-line treatment. Nonetheless, its application is constrained by unfavorable drug responses and side effects. The objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness and safety of lacosamide, a third-generation anticonvulsant, in individuals with TN, and to juxtapose the findings with observational records from recently diagnosed TN patients who underwent carbamazepine monotherapy within the corresponding timeframe.
Methods: An 8-week flexible dose titration of lacosamide was performed on newly diagnosed 12 TN patients who were divided into two groups: 200 mg/day (n = 5), and 400 mg/day (n = 7). Outcome measures included average pain score, Brief Pain Inventory-facial scores, and side effects. Patients were followed-up at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after baseline.
Results: The percentage change of pain score at 4-week visit was compared between both lacosamide groups and patients receiving carbamazepine (n = 6) for four weeks during concurrent period. Both lacosamide groups experienced a decrease in pain score at 2-week follow-up, and differences in average pain score reduction were not observed between the two groups across all visits (p > 0.05). The mean Brief Pain Inventory-facial score in the lacosamide 200 mg/day group was higher than that in the 400 mg/day group at the 2-week follow-up (p = 0.03). Interestingly, the 4-week follow-up revealed that there were no significant variances in pain intensity between the lacosamide and the contemporaneous carbamazepine cohorts (p > 0.05). Frequently noted adverse events were mild somnolence (n = 9), slight vertigo (n = 5), and emotional lability (n = 2) without instances of severe adverse drug responses.
Conclusions: Lacosamide demonstrates potential as a therapeutic option for patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia.
期刊介绍:
Founded upon sound scientific principles, this journal continues to make important contributions that strongly influence the work of dental and medical professionals involved in treating oral and facial pain, including temporomandibular disorders, and headache. In addition to providing timely scientific research and clinical articles, the journal presents diagnostic techniques and treatment therapies for oral and facial pain, headache, mandibular dysfunction, and occlusion and covers pharmacology, physical therapy, surgery, and other pain-management methods.