Comparison of clinical efficacy of oxcarbazepine and lamotrigine combined with escitalopram, and impact on prognostic quality of life in treating patients with epilepsy and depressive disorder.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of oxcarbazepine and lamotrigine combined with escitalopram in treating patients with epilepsy and depressive disorder, and their influence on the prognostic quality of life. A total of 108 patients with epilepsy and depression were selected as research participants. Among them, 53 patients were treated by oxcarbazepine combined with escitalopram (group A) and 55 patients were treated by lamotrigine combined with escitalopram (group B). Following six-month treatment, efficacy, epilepsy frequency and duration, Hamilton Depression Rating (HAMD) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating (MADRS) scores, adverse reactions, improvement of electroencephalogram (EEG) epileptic discharge, quality of life, 1-year drug retention rate and withdrawal reasons of the two groups were compared. There was no remarkable difference in the total efficacy rate between both groups. The number and duration of epileptic seizures, improvement of EEG epileptic discharge and quality of life in the two groups significantly improved after treatment, with no marked difference. HAMD and MADRS scores of patients from group B were significantly lower after treatment compared with those of patients from group A. The incidence rate of adverse reactions in group B was dramatically lower compared with group A, and the 1-year drug retention rate of group B was dramatically higher compared with that in group A. Both oxcarbazepine and lamotrigine combined with escitalopram exhibited good efficacy in patients with epilepsy and depressive disorder, and they may effectively improve the prognostic quality of life of patients. Lamotrigine combined with escitalopram presented with a better antidepressant effect and safety, with higher patient tolerance.