Pilot pharmacologic randomized controlled trial for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

There have been few treatment trials for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). Some psychotherapies have been shown to improve PNES and comorbid symptom outcomes. We evaluated a pharmacologic intervention to test the hypothesis that sertraline would reduce PNES.

Methods

We conducted a pilot, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in an academic medical hospital with epilepsy center outpatients. Subjects aged 18 to 65 years diagnosed with video-EEG-confirmed PNES were treated with flexible-dose sertraline or placebo over 12 weeks. Seizure calendars and symptom scales were charted prospectively. Secondary outcome measures included psychiatric symptom scales and psychosocial variables.

Results

Thirty-eight subjects enrolled, and 26 (68%) complet

SUBMITTER: LaFrance WC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3013487 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature