Retention rate of oxcarbazepine monotherapy in an unselected population of adult epileptics

In a retrospective study we assessed the outcome of oxcarbazepine (OXC) monotherapy in a naturalistic setting. We identified all adult patients who had been treated with OXC at a single neurological outpatient center. A total of 175 patients were identified, 97 of them used OXC as their first AED (Group I), and 78 as second monotherapy (Group II), after failure of a previous AED. The 1-year retention rates of OXC treatment were 91% for Group I and 77% for Group II. Discontinuations were due to adverse effects in 3 patients (3%) in Group I and in 11 patients (14%) in Group II, and due to lack of efficacy in 2 patients (2%) in Group I and in 6 patients (8%) in Group II. We conclude that OXC monotherapy is effective and well tolerated.