Short-term and long-term efficacy and safety of antiseizure medications in Lennox Gastaut syndrome: A network meta-analysis

PurposeTo assess the short-term and long-term comparative efficacy and safety of ASMs for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS).MethodsFollowing a systematic literature search, randomized controlled trial (RCT) and open-label extension (OLE) studies on LGS comparing ASMs with placebo or other ASMs were included. ≥50% reduction in drop seizure frequency from baseline and occurrence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were the primary efficacy and safety outcomes. For short-term outcomes, a network meta-analysis (NMA) reporting odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and hierarchy of competing interventions [surface under the cumulative ranking curve(SUCRA)] was done. Long-term outcomes were reported as proportion with 95% CIs using the random-effects model.ResultsFifteen studies including 1263 participants with LGS (aged 2–54years) receiving any of six ASMs [cannabidiol (CBD), clobazam (CLB), felbamate (FLB), lamotrigine (LTG), rufinamide (RFM), topiramate (TPM)] or placebo were included. High-dose CLB (1.0 mg/kg/day; CLB_H) [OR: 4.9; 95% CI: 2.3–10.8] was significantly associated with ≥50% reduction in drop seizure frequency as compared with placebo, and achieved the highest-ranking probability (0.89) based on SUCRA values (although there was an overlap between confidence intervals of effect sizes of CLB, RFM and CBD), while high-dose CBD (20 mg/kg/day; CBD_H) [OR: 3.8; 95% CI:1.6–9.0] had significantly higher odds for occurrence of any TEAEs and had the highest-ranking probability (0.85). Furthermore, the long-term treatment with CLB [78%; 95% CI: 70–85%] was associated with a significantly higher proportion of patients with reduction in drop-seizures, and long-term use of CBD [96%; 95% CI: 95–98%] was associated with a higher frequency of TEAEs.ConclusionThe study findings suggest that CLB_H, CBD and RFM are the most efficacious and safest in terms of both short and long-term outcomes with CLB_H probably leading the hierarchy. Future head-to-head trials comparing these ASMs are needed.