ArticleNeurology2020
Pharmacologic treatment and SUDEP risk: A nationwide, population-based, case-control study.
Article in Neurology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 37 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
37 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 80 citations in OpenAlex.
- Medication adherence and persistence in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a systematic review and qualitative update.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Comparative Risk of Major Congenital Malformations With Antiseizure Medication Combinations vs Valproate Monotherapy in Pregnancy.Neurology · 2024Pooled it
- Understanding neuro-pulmonary dysfunction in children with neurodisability.Breathe (Sheffield, England) · 2026Review
- Before diagnosing SUDEP in neurocysticercosis and nodding syndrome, alternative causes for sudden death must be thoroughly ruled out.Forensic science, medicine, and pathology · 2026Article
- Enhancing sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) research through development of common data elements.Epilepsia open · 2025Article
- The 30-Day Risk of Sudden Death in Patients With Epilepsy: A 10-Year Population-Based Cohort Study.Journal of clinical neurology (Seoul, Korea) · 2025Article
- Age-Specific Mechanisms of Sudden Death Associated With Epilepsy.JACC. Clinical electrophysiology · 2025Article
- Early Introduction of Cenobamate in Uncontrolled Focal Epilepsy: Insights from a Structured Controversy.Neurology and therapy · 2025Article
- Cardiovascular Effects of Antiseizure Medications for Epilepsy.CNS drugs · 2025Review
- Statins' protective effects on focal epilepsy are independent of LDL-C.Epilepsia open · 2025Article
- Review
- Real-world utilization of Cenobamate as adjunct therapy in office-based neurology: practical tips and insights for titration.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
- Review
- Incidence and Types of Cardiac Arrhythmias in the Peri-Ictal Period in Patients Having a Generalized Convulsive Seizure.Neurology · 2024Observational
- Sudden death in epilepsy: the overlap between cardiac and neurological factors.Brain communications · 2024Review
- Seriousness and outcomes of reported adverse drug reactions in old and new antiseizure medications: a pharmacovigilance study using EudraVigilance database.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Article
- Antiseizure medication and SUDEP - a need for unifying methodology in research.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Review
- Type, Etiology, and Duration of Epilepsy as Risk Factors for SUDEP: Further Analyses of a Population-Based Case-Control Study.Neurology · 2023Article
- Article
- Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: A critical view of the literature.Epilepsia open · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveWe conducted a nationwide case-control study in Sweden to test the hypothesis that antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) mono- or polytherapy, adherence, antidepressants, neuroleptics, β-blockers, and statins are associated with sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) risk.
methodsIncluded were 255 SUDEP cases and 1,148 matched controls. Information on clinical factors and medications came from medical records and the National Patient and Prescription Registers. The association between SUDEP and medications was assessed by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for potential risk factors including type of epilepsy, living conditions, comorbidity, and frequency of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS).
resultsPolytherapy, especially taking 3 or more AEDs, was associated with a substantially reduced risk of SUDEP (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.14-0.67). Combinations including lamotrigine (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.31-0.97), valproic acid (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.29-0.98), and levetiracetam (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.27-0.90) were associated with reduced risk. No specific AED was associated with increased risk. Regarding monotherapy, although numbers were limited, the lowest SUDEP risk was seen in users of levetiracetam (0.10, 95% CI 0.02-0.61). Having nonadherence mentioned in the medical record was associated with an OR of 2.75 (95% CI 1.58-4.78). Statin use was associated with a reduced SUDEP risk (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.11-0.99) but selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use was not.
conclusionThese results provide support for the importance of medication adherence and intensified AED treatment for patients with poorly controlled GTCS in the effort to reduce SUDEP risk and suggest that comedication with statins may reduce risk.
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Registered trials
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