Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40751878›Full record

ArticleNeurology and therapy2025

Assessing the Safety and Efficacy of Lamotrigine as Anti-myotonic Agent in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1): A Longitudinal, Open-Label, Pilot Study.

Barbara Risi, Nesaiba Ait Allali, Stefano Cotti Piccinelli, Filomena Caria, Simona Damioli, Beatrice Labella, Enrica Bertella, Giorgia Giovanelli, Francesca Garofali, Giuseppina Margollicci and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurology and therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Treatment updates in myotonic disorders.Journal of neurology · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Barbara RisiNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-2303-1180
Nesaiba Ait AllaliNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.
Stefano Cotti PiccinelliNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2060-0279
Filomena CariaNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-4113-3562
Simona DamioliNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-0465-5262
Beatrice LabellaUnit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3456-3149
Enrica BertellaNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8178-3112
Giorgia GiovanelliNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.
Francesca GarofaliNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.
Giuseppina MargollicciNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.
Roberto CarugatiNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy.
Lucia FerulloUnit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-7224-8213
Emanuele OlivieriUnit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-2732-5270
Loris PoliUnit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4912-818X
Alessandro PadovaniUnit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0119-3639
Massimiliano FilostoNeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy. massimiliano.filosto@unibs.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2852-7512

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMyotonia, defined as impaired relaxation of skeletal muscles after voluntary contraction or electrical stimulation, is a core feature of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and can be highly disabling. The most used anti-myotonic drug, mexiletine, has limited availability and is associated with several side effects. Lamotrigine (LTG), an anti-epileptic drug that reduces voltage-sensitive sodium channel activity, has shown efficacy in treating myotonia in both in vitro models and patients with non-dystrophic myotonias. We aimed to investigate in a cohort of patients with DM1 the use of LTG as an anti-myotonic treatment in a real-world setting.

methodsWe enrolled 14 consecutive adult patients with genetically confirmed DM1 and clinically significant myotonia impacting daily living (Myotonia Behaviour Scale, MBS > 1). LTG was administered in escalating doses, starting from 50 mg/day up to 200 mg/day. Efficacy was assessed using a linear mixed-effects model. Two functional timed tests [the 9-Hole Peg Test (9HPT) and the preparation of a coffee pot, devised by us and called the "Coffee Task" test] were performed at baseline (pre-treatment) and at each dose level. Safety data was also collected.

resultsThe mean age at enrollment was 40 years, and the mean disease duration was 12 years. LTG dosage had a significant positive effect on 9HPT performance at the maximum dose compared to baseline. Age and disease duration significantly influenced 9HPT results. No significant changes were observed in the other functional timed test. No serious adverse events were reported.

conclusionThis pilot, open-label study provides preliminary evidence for the efficacy and safety of LTG as an anti-myotonic treatment in patients with DM1. These findings support the need for larger, placebo-controlled trials to confirm its clinical utility.

Indexed as

DM1LamotrigineMyotoniaMyotonic dystrophyTherapy

Identifiers

PMID40751878
PMCPMC12450168

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.