Changes in antiepileptic drug prescriptions over a decade in childbearing women in Lombardy region, Italy

Systematic review of gabapentinoid use during pregnancy and its impact on pregnancy and childhood outcomes: A ConcePTION study

OBJECTIVE

In the general population, there has been a noticeable rise in the dispensing of gabapentinoids in recent years. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of all available data on the use and safety of gabapentinoids during pregnancy.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed in PubMed and Reprotox using the search terms: "gabapentin", "pregabalin", "antiepileptic drugs" and terms associated with pregnancy. We included all studies in English that reported on the use and safety of gabapentin and pregabalin during pregnancy. We excluded abstracts, literature reviews, case reports and studies involving fewer than 5 exposures. Descriptive analyses and narrative syntheses were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 27 high-quality studies were described. The prevalence of gabapentinoid use during pregnancy remained very low, at less than 1%. Five studies reported significant findings with increased risks of overall congenital anomalies, specific anomalies (nervous system, eyes, oro-facial clefs, urinary and genital system), miscarriage, stillbirth and specific neurodevelopmental outcomes after exposure to pregabalin during pregnancy. Concerning exposure to gabapentin, increased risks of preterm birth, preeclampsia, small-for-gestational-age and NICU admission were reported in two studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal exposure to pregabalin is associated with an increased risk of congenital anomalies and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes while gabapentin exposure was associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia, preterm birth and small-for-gestational age. Larger studies are needed to confirm these data and explore additional outcomes. The combined evidence from this systematic review and animal studies raises concerns about the safety of using gabapentinoids during pregnancy. Careful evaluation of the benefit-risk balance for both mother and fetus/infant is essential when these medications cannot be avoided during pregnancy.

Treatment patterns in women of childbearing age and pregnant women with epilepsy in Poland between the years 2019 and 2022-A nationwide population-based cohort study

AIM

To describe the antiseizure medications (ASMs) prescription pattern in women of childbearing age (WOCA) and pregnant women with epilepsy in the 2019-2022 period in Poland MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Health Fund (NHF) databases were analyzed. Women aged 15-49 years were considered as being of childbearing age, while exposure during pregnancy was estimated taking into account 15 months before delivery. ASMs belonging to the N03A subgroup of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System, reimbursed by NHF were analyzed.

RESULTS

During 2019, 36 784 WOCA and 921 pregnant women filled at least 1 ASM prescription. In 2022, these numbers were 32 304 and 594, respectively. Valproate was the most widely used ASM in WOCA (38.4 %) in 2019, followed by levetiracetam (35.6 %), lamotrigine (30.1 %), and carbamazepine (20.0 %). The percentage of ASM users decreased in 2022 for valproate (32.1 %; p < 0.001) and carbamazepine (17 %; p < 0.001) and increased for levetiracetam (40.8 %; p < 0.001) and lamotrigine (32.7 %; p < 0.001). In 2019 lamotrigine (42.1 %) and levetiracetam (41.5 %) were the most frequently prescribed ASMs to pregnant women. During the study period, a significant increase in prescriptions for levetiracetam was observed (49.5 %; p = 0.003). The proportion of ASMs exposed pregnancies declined for valproate (from 24.7 to 16 %; p < 0.001) and topiramate (from 6.6 to 3.2 %; p = 0.005). The percentage of polytherapy regimens remained stable over the years, both for WOCA (39 %) and pregnant women (32 %).

CONCLUSION

Despite the decline in valproate usage, the drug was still among the most commonly prescribed ASMs in women of childbearing age and pregnant women with epilepsy. The awareness of teratogenic risks and new treatment guidelines should be improved in Poland.

Management of Anti-Seizure Medications during Pregnancy: Advancements in The Past Decade

Management of seizures often involves continuous medication use throughout a patient's life, including when a patient is pregnant. The physiological changes during pregnancy can lead to altered drug exposure to anti-seizure medications, increasing patient response variability. In addition, subtherapeutic anti-seizure medication concentrations in the mother may increase seizure frequency, raising the risk of miscarriage and preterm labor. On the other hand, drug exposure increases can lead to differences in neurodevelopmental outcomes in the developing fetus. Established pregnancy registries provide insight into the teratogenicity potential of anti-seizure medication use. In addition, some anti-seizure medications are associated with an increased risk of major congenital malformations, and their use has declined over the last decade. Although newer anti-seizure medications are thought to have more favorable pharmacokinetics in general, they are not without risk, as they may undergo significant pharmacokinetic changes when an individual becomes pregnant. With known changes in metabolism and kidney function during pregnancy, therapeutic monitoring of drug concentrations helps to determine if and when doses should be changed to maintain similar seizure control as observed pre-pregnancy. This review concentrates on the results from research in the past decade (2010-2022) regarding risks of major congenital malformations, changes in prescribing patterns, and pharmacokinetics of the anti-seizure medications that are prescribed to pregnant patients with epilepsy.