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2026, Vol: 10, Issue: 6
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Review Article
Online Published: 04 May 2026
 


Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies

Alaa Maslan Almalki, Albatul Hazaa Al-shareef, Odai Waleed Ashgar, Sumayyah Saleem Almehmadi, Latifah Abdulaziz Almulhim, Nouf Fikiri Al-saeedi, Rena Faisal Aljahdli, Abdulaziz A. Alzahrani, Osama Y. Muthaffar.


Abstract
Eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) is an anti-epileptic drug approved for use as adjunctive therapy for focal-onset seizures (FOSs) in children. Evidence on the efficacy and safety of antiepileptic drugs in children remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ESL as an adjunct treatment for FOSs in children aged less than 18 years. Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were identified, comprising 386 pediatric participants. Adjunctive ESL, compared with placebo, was associated with a significant reduction in the overall frequency of seizures (mean difference 14.8%, 95% CI: 4.4 to 25.2; p = 0.0052). ESL therapy had a statistically significant increase in treatment-emerging adverse events (risk ratio 1.42, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.88; p = 0.0158), with most being of mild to moderate severity. Adjunctive ESL was found to be effective in reducing the seizure frequency and was well-tolerated in children.

Key words: Adolescents, antiepileptic drugs, children, epilepsy, pediatric, seizure, systematic review


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Almalki AM, Al-shareef AH, Ashgar OW, Almehmadi SS, Almulhim LA, Al-saeedi NF, Aljahdli RF, Alzahrani AA, Muthaffar OY. Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies. IJMDC. 2026; 10(6): 1640-1650. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873

Web Style

Almalki AM, Al-shareef AH, Ashgar OW, Almehmadi SS, Almulhim LA, Al-saeedi NF, Aljahdli RF, Alzahrani AA, Muthaffar OY. Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=307960 [Access: June 27, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Almalki AM, Al-shareef AH, Ashgar OW, Almehmadi SS, Almulhim LA, Al-saeedi NF, Aljahdli RF, Alzahrani AA, Muthaffar OY. Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies. IJMDC. 2026; 10(6): 1640-1650. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Almalki AM, Al-shareef AH, Ashgar OW, Almehmadi SS, Almulhim LA, Al-saeedi NF, Aljahdli RF, Alzahrani AA, Muthaffar OY. Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies. IJMDC. (2026), [cited June 27, 2026]; 10(6): 1640-1650. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873


Harvard Style

Almalki, A. M., Al-shareef, . A. H., Ashgar, . O. W., Almehmadi, . S. S., Almulhim, . L. A., Al-saeedi, . N. F., Aljahdli, . R. F., Alzahrani, . A. A. & Muthaffar, . O. Y. (2026) Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies. IJMDC, 10 (6), 1640-1650. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873


Turabian Style

Almalki, Alaa Maslan, Albatul Hazaa Al-shareef, Odai Waleed Ashgar, Sumayyah Saleem Almehmadi, Latifah Abdulaziz Almulhim, Nouf Fikiri Al-saeedi, Rena Faisal Aljahdli, Abdulaziz A. Alzahrani, and Osama Y. Muthaffar. 2026. Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 10 (6), 1640-1650. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873


Chicago Style

Almalki, Alaa Maslan, Albatul Hazaa Al-shareef, Odai Waleed Ashgar, Sumayyah Saleem Almehmadi, Latifah Abdulaziz Almulhim, Nouf Fikiri Al-saeedi, Rena Faisal Aljahdli, Abdulaziz A. Alzahrani, and Osama Y. Muthaffar. "Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 10 (2026), 1640-1650. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Almalki, Alaa Maslan, Albatul Hazaa Al-shareef, Odai Waleed Ashgar, Sumayyah Saleem Almehmadi, Latifah Abdulaziz Almulhim, Nouf Fikiri Al-saeedi, Rena Faisal Aljahdli, Abdulaziz A. Alzahrani, and Osama Y. Muthaffar. "Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 10.6 (2026), 1640-1650. Print. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Almalki, A. M., Al-shareef, . A. H., Ashgar, . O. W., Almehmadi, . S. S., Almulhim, . L. A., Al-saeedi, . N. F., Aljahdli, . R. F., Alzahrani, . A. A. & Muthaffar, . O. Y. (2026) Efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate for focal-onset seizures in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of high-quality studies. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 10 (6), 1640-1650. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1769286873




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