Efficacy and Safety of Lamotrigine in Pediatric Mood Disorders: Patients’ Perspective

Background Data gathered from previous studies has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of lamotrigine in the adult psychiatric population; however, it has not been well studied in children and adolescents with mood disorders (Watanabe & Hongo, 2017). Objective The objective of this study is to understand patients’ perspective of Lamotrigine efficacy and safety when prescribed for children and adolescents with mood disorders. Methods A proposal was approved by the University of Missouri-Columbia Internal Review Board to conduct this study. To answer a questionnaire, 20 patients were randomly selected who were taking lamotrigine for mood disorder. All 20 patients were seen in person at the University of Missouri Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Out-patient Clinic. A consent form was reviewed and signed by their respective legal guardian. The questionnaire consisted of yes or no, and free-response questions. Each participant was asked a series of questions about their symptoms before and after lamotrigine, whether or not the medication was helpful, and whether or not they experienced any side effects. Additional details were also obtained, including dosage, the length of their prescription, and any concomitant medications. Demographic information, including age, race, gender, and grade, was also obtained. Results Among the participants, 65% were females and 35% were male patients who agreed to take the questionnaire. Fifty percent of the patients were between the ages of 16 and 18, 35% were between the ages of 11 and 15 and. 15% were between the ages of 8 and 10. Seventy present were Caucasian, 10% were African American, and 20% identified as belonging to another race. 35% of the patients were prescribed lamotrigine for less than a year, and 65% were prescribed lamotrigine for over a year. 30% of patients take 25-50mg daily, 25% take between 51-100mg daily, 40% take 101-200mg daily, and 5% take more than 200mg daily. Before lamotrigine was prescribed to the 20 patients in this study, collective reported symptoms included: anger, aggression, mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, and self-harm. Eighty percent of patients claimed lamotrigine improved their symptoms after taking the medication. Most improvement was claimed by patients with mood swings followed by patients with anger, aggression, and irritable mood. Seventy percent of patients reported no side effects with the medication. 10% of patients reported increased appetite, 5% reported rash, 5% GI issue, and other 10% reported various side effects, including fatigue, myalgia, and restlessness. Conclusion According to patients reports, this study provides data that lamotrigine may be effective in pediatric mood disorders and shows minimal adverse effects. Further larger clinical studies are needed to conclude the safety and efficacy of Lamotrigine in the treatment of pediatric mood disorder. Funding No Funding