TY - JOUR
T1 - A Pilot Study on the Use of Low Doses of CBD to Control Seizures in Rare and Severe Forms of Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
AU - Pesántez Ríos, Gabriela
AU - Armijos Acurio, Luciana
AU - Jimbo Sotomayor, Ruth
AU - Cueva, Victor
AU - Pesántez Ríos, Ximena
AU - Navarrete Zambrano, Hugo
AU - Pascual, Samuel
AU - Pesántez Cuesta, Galo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors.
PY - 2022/12/9
Y1 - 2022/12/9
N2 - Due to its anticonvulsant properties, cannabidiol can be supportive as an adjuvant therapy in the management of drug resistant epilepsy. This retrospective observational study evaluates the intensity and frequency of the seizures of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy that have been treated with antiepileptic medication associated with CBD in low doses for at least 12 months. Thirty-four patients were included in the study. The most frequent diagnosis of epilepsy was focal symptomatic epilepsy and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (35.2%). During the follow-up, there was a statistically significant decrease in the seizure frequency (t student p < 0.001). A high proportion of patients, 16, concluded the study with a total control of the seizures reaching a 100% improvement, 12 reported ≥ 75% improvement, 3 ≥ 50%, and 2 ≥ 25%; only 1 patient had an improvement of less than 25%. This is the first Latin American study that demonstrates that long-term CBD added to the usual drugs significantly reduces the frequency, duration, and type of seizures in the different etiologies of epilepsy, being especially effective on the seizures that are the most incapacitating, improving the quality of life of the individual and their family.
AB - Due to its anticonvulsant properties, cannabidiol can be supportive as an adjuvant therapy in the management of drug resistant epilepsy. This retrospective observational study evaluates the intensity and frequency of the seizures of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy that have been treated with antiepileptic medication associated with CBD in low doses for at least 12 months. Thirty-four patients were included in the study. The most frequent diagnosis of epilepsy was focal symptomatic epilepsy and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (35.2%). During the follow-up, there was a statistically significant decrease in the seizure frequency (t student p < 0.001). A high proportion of patients, 16, concluded the study with a total control of the seizures reaching a 100% improvement, 12 reported ≥ 75% improvement, 3 ≥ 50%, and 2 ≥ 25%; only 1 patient had an improvement of less than 25%. This is the first Latin American study that demonstrates that long-term CBD added to the usual drugs significantly reduces the frequency, duration, and type of seizures in the different etiologies of epilepsy, being especially effective on the seizures that are the most incapacitating, improving the quality of life of the individual and their family.
KW - CBD
KW - cannabidiol
KW - drug resistant epilepsy
KW - seizures
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85144871982&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/life12122065
DO - 10.3390/life12122065
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85144871982
SN - 2075-1729
VL - 12
JO - Life
JF - Life
IS - 12
M1 - 2065
ER -