Abstract Details

Title The differential effects of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids on seizure frequency in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy – A Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Topic Epilepsy/Clinical Neurophysiology (EEG)

Presentation(s) P5 - (-)

Poster/Presentation
Number 412

Background About 30 percent of epileptic patients do not respond to treatment. Cell membrane lipids play a critical role in anti-epileptic drugs’ transport and efficacy. Drug resistant cells have been shown to have altered lipid profiles. In addition, several animal models, as well as some clinical studies, support EPA and DHA as being involved in maintenance and modulation of neuronal functions as well as in the inhibition of neuronal excitability and seizure latency and frequency

Objective

Design/Methods A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial included ninety nine (n=99) DRE patients, aged 5 -16 (n=85) and 17- 45 (n=14). Patients were recruited from the Neurological Department, Khartoum Hospital, Sudan.After randomization, patients were given 2, 4 or 6 capsules of DHA (417.8 mg DHA and 50.8 mg EPA/capsule, n=33), EPA (385.6 mg EPA and 81.2 mg DHA/capsule, n=33) or placebo (high oleic acid sunflower seed oil, n=33) for one year. The primary outcome measure was the effect of treatment on seizure rate (ITT approach).

Results Fifty-nine patients (n=59) completed the study (59.6%). No treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) occurred during the study.The average number of seizures per year were EPA, 113.7±13.1, DHA, 145.5±16.1 and placebo, 182.8±16.1. Age and gender, seizure type adjusted seizure incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of the EPA and DHA groups compared with the placebo were 0.58 (CI= 0.42-0.90, p=0.009, 42% reduction) and 0.61 (CI = 0.39-0.87, p= 0.01, 39% reduction), respectively. There was no difference in IRR between the EPA and DHA groups (p=0.8).

Conclusions This study demonstrates that EPA and DHA are effective in reducing seizure frequency in DRE. Further larger multi-center studies are needed.

Authors/Disclosures
Ahmed Daak, MD, PhD (Sancilio & Co)	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file