Efficacy and acceptability of oxcarbazepine vs. carbamazepine with betahistine mesilate tablets in treating vestibular paroxysmia: a retrospective review.

OBJECTIVES: Vestibular paroxysmia (VP) is a rare episodic peripheral vestibular disorder that can cause acute short attacks of vertigo. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and acceptability of carbamazepine (CBZ), CBZ plus betahistine mesilate tablets (BMT) and oxcarbazepine (OXC) plus BMT in treating VP within 12 weeks.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of data from 196 VP patients treated in our hospital was conducted. There were 73 patients receiving CBZ, 65 patients receiving CBZ+BMT and 58 patients receiving OXC+BMT. The frequency of vertigo, vertigo duration, vertigo score, response rate (RR) and side effects were compared between groups to assess efficacy and acceptability at the end of 12(th) week.

RESULTS: After 12 weeks' treatment, the CBZ+BMT group had a greater reduction in the frequency of vertigo, vertigo duration and vertigo score than the other two groups. The RR was highest in the CBZ+BMT group, second in the OXC+BMT group and lowest in the CBZ group. The incidence of side-effects was highest in the CBZ group, second in the CBZ+BMT group and lowest in the OXC+BMT group. Two patients in the CBZ group were withdrawn.

CONCLUSION: These results indicated that using BMT as an augmentation for CBZ or OXC might be a good choice in treating VP.