Open Access

Felix Rosenow, Christian Brandt, Ali Bozorg, Svetlana Dimova, Björn Steiniger‐Brach, Ying Zhang, Bruno Ferrò, Gregory L. Holmes, Reetta Kälviäinen

• Objectives: To assess tolerability and efficacy of lacosamide in adults with cerebrovascular epilepsy etiology (CVEE). Materials and methods: Exploratory post hoc analyses of a double‐blind, initial monotherapy trial of lacosamide vs carbamazepine‐controlled release (carbamazepine‐CR) (SP0993; NCT01243177); a double‐blind conversion to lacosamide monotherapy trial (SP0902; NCT00520741); and an observational study of adjunctive lacosamide added to one antiepileptic drug (SP0973 VITOBA; NCT01098162). Patients with CVEE were identified based on epilepsy etiology recorded at baseline. Results: In the initial monotherapy trial, 61 patients had CVEE (lacosamide: 27; carbamazepine‐CR: 34). 20 (74.1%) patients on lacosamide (27 [79.4%] on carbamazepine‐CR) reported treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs), most commonly (≥10%) headache, dizziness, and fatigue (carbamazepine‐CR: headache, dizziness). A numerically higher proportion of patients on lacosamide than carbamazepine‐CR completed 6 months (22 [81.5%]; 20 [58.8%]) and 12 months (18 [66.7%]; 17 [50.0%]) treatment without seizure at last evaluated dose. In the conversion to monotherapy trial, 26/30 (86.7%) patients with CVEE reported TEAEs, most commonly (≥4 patients) dizziness, convulsion, fatigue, headache, somnolence, and cognitive disorder. During lacosamide monotherapy, 17 (56.7%) patients were 50% responders and six (20.0%) were seizure‐free. In the observational study, 36/83 (43.4%) patients with CVEE reported TEAEs, most commonly (≥5%) fatigue and dizziness. Effectiveness was assessed for 75 patients. During the last 3 months, 60 (80%) were 50% responders and 42 (56.0%) were seizure‐free. Conclusions: These exploratory post hoc analyses suggested lacosamide was generally well tolerated and effective in patients with CVEE, with data from the initial monotherapy trial suggesting numerically better efficacy than carbamazepine‐CR.