Fenofibrate Added To Seizure Medicines May Cut Seizures

What was studied

This study aimed to assess how well fenofibrate works when added to existing seizure medications in people with active epilepsy. It involved 80 participants who had at least two seizures in the last three months despite taking two or more antiseizure medications. They were divided into two groups: one received fenofibrate and the other received a placebo for six months.

The main goal was to see how much the monthly seizure frequency changed from the start to the end of the study. Secondary goals included looking at the percentage of participants who had a significant reduction in seizures, certain biomarkers related to epilepsy, quality of life, and safety of the treatment.

What they found

The study indicated that people taking fenofibrate had a significant reduction in their monthly seizure frequency compared to those taking the placebo. About 60% of the fenofibrate group had at least a 50% reduction in seizures, while only 22.5% of the placebo group did. Fenofibrate was also well tolerated with no serious side effects reported.

Limits of the evidence

The study cannot confirm that fenofibrate will work for everyone with epilepsy, as it only included a small group of participants at one center. The long-term effects and benefits of fenofibrate are still unknown.

For families and caregivers

This information may be important for families of people with epilepsy who are looking for additional treatment options. Fenofibrate could help reduce seizures for some individuals when added to their current medications.

What to watch next

Further studies with larger groups and longer follow-up periods would help clarify these findings.