Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A Multicentre, Double-blind, Randomized, Phase IV Clinical Trial Comparing the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Levetiracetam Versus Lamotrigine and Carbamazepine in the Oral Antiepileptic Therapy of Newly Diagnosed Elderly Patients With Focal Epilepsy.
Brief Summary: In this clinical trial patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy aged 60 years or older receive three different antiepileptic drugs in a double-blind, randomized design over a period of 58 weeks. All drugs are licensed for the treatment of epilepsy. The primary endpoint of this study will be retention rate at 58-weeks, since it reflects both efficacy and tolerability.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 60 yrs or above.
* New onset focal epilepsy i.e. either at least one epileptic seizure in the last 6 months and focal epileptiform discharges on EEG or a relevant lesion on CT/MRI or at least 2 epileptic seizures, one of which occurring in the last 6 months prior inclusion.
* No previous AED treatment, except for a period not longer than 4 weeks prior to inclusion (V0).
* Ability of subject to understand verbal and written instructions, to comply with all study requirements, and to comprehend character and individual consequences of the clinical trial.
* Written informed consent before enrolment in the trial.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Acute symptomatic epileptic seizures occurring acutely within a 2 week period after the onset of an acute illness such as cerebral haemorrhage, cerebral infarct, rapid progressive malignancy or other acute brain abnormalities (i.e. encephalitis, hypoxic brain damage, trauma, metabolic derangement, following brain surgery).
* Dementia (as defined by history)
* Renal insufficiency as defined by GFR \< 50 mL/min.
* Increased liver enzymes (GOT, GPT, gGT) or increased bilirubin ≥ 2-fold the upper limit of normal (ULN).
* Pre-treatment with valproic acid within the four weeks prior inclusion (V0).
* Contraindication against or history of hypersensitivity to any of the investigational medicinal products or to any drug with similar chemical structure or to any excipient present in the pharmaceutical form of the investigational medicinal products.
* Participation in other clinical trials and observation period of competing trials within the last 2 months, respectively.
* History of drug or alcohol abuse within the last 2 years.
* Medical condition which interferes with the participation in the trial according to the opinion of the investigator.
* Patients with life expectancy \< 1 year due to malignant disease
* Psychiatric morbidity requiring legal guardianship.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Active epilepsy
* Aged 2-15 years

Exclusion Criteria:

* Excluded absence
* Myoclonic and malignant epilepsy syndromes
* Major motor and cognitive impairments
* Those currently receiving antiepilepsy drugs.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients from age 4 to 16, who have been diagnosed with focal epilepsy
2. Patients who have experienced minimal two unprovoked seizures, or patients who have had one unprovoked seizure and have shown focal abnormality in the EEG
3. Patients who have not received any antiepileptic medications prior to the study (Those who have been treated with rescue medication are eligible)
4. Patients with eligible consent or with legal guardians have given official consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with progressive CNS disease, or systemic illness
2. Patients with level of SGOT/SPGT above the doubled normal level or BUN/Creatinine above the 3 times of the normal range
3. Patients who had used other anti-epileptic medication during any period of the trial, including baseline period. (Benzodiazepine used as rescue therapy is acceptable)
4. Patients who show hypersensitive reaction to the study medication.
5. Patients with any psychological problems.
6. Patients deemed inappropriate for the study by the investigators
D: Inclusion criteria:

* Male or Female ≥13 years of age
* Have a confident diagnosis of epilepsy with partial seizures for at least 24 weeks prior to the Baseline Phase
* Have a documented history of partial seizures such that the investigator must judge that the subject is likely to have at least 4 partial seizures during the 8-week Baseline Phase.
* Have experienced at least 4 partial seizures (i.e., simple or complex partial seizures with or without secondary generalization) during an 8-week (i.e., 56 days) prospective Baseline Phase with at least one partial seizure occurring during each 4-week (i.e., 28-day) period.
* NOTE: With prior authorization from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), retrospective data may take the place of up to the first 4 weeks (i.e., first 28 days) of the Baseline Phase for subjects providing reliable documentation of the following:

  1. A complete daily seizure diary that includes the number, and type (i.e., simple or complex partial seizures with or without secondary generalization), of seizures experienced each day for up to 28 consecutive days immediately prior to the prospective Baseline Phase
  2. Stability of prescribed dosages of background antiepileptic drug (AED)
  3. Compliance with background AED

All subjects permitted to use retrospective baseline data must complete a minimum of four weeks (i.e., 28 days) of the prospective Baseline Phase. The retrospective plus the prospective Baseline Phases must equal the 56 consecutive days prior to the start of dosing with study drug.

* be currently receiving AED monotherapy treatment with a stable regimen of a non-enzyme inducing AED for at least four weeks prior to starting the Baseline Phase.
* be able and willing to maintain an accurate, complete, written daily seizure diary, or has a parent/caregiver who is able and willing to maintain and accurate, complete, written daily seizure diary for the entire duration of the study.
* be able to comply with the dosing of study drugs, background AED, and all study procedures.
* understand and sign written informed consent, or will have a parent or a legally authorized representative who has done so, prior to the performance of any study assessments
* if female, and of childbearing potential be using an acceptable form of birth control, to include one of the following:

  1. Complete abstinence from intercourse for two weeks before exposure to the study drug, throughout the clinical trial, and for a period after the trial to account for elimination of the drug (a minimum of 2 weeks).
  2. Consistent and correct use of one of the following methods of birth control:

Male partner who is sterile prior to the female subject's entry into the study and is the sole sexual partner for that female subject.

Any intrauterine device (IUD) with a documented failure rate of less than 1% per year

Double barrier method consisting of spermicide plus a mechanical barrier (e.g., spermicide plus a male condom or a female diaphragm).

NOTE: Women who have had a hysterectomy, tubal ligation, or are post-menopausal are considered to be of non-childbearing potential.

NOTE: A pharmacokinetic interaction has been observed between lamotrigine (LTG) and estrogen-based oral contraceptives. Therefore, the use of hormonal therapy (e.g., for contraception or hormone replacement therapy) is not allowed.

Exclusion criteria:

* Exhibits any primary generalized seizures (e.g., absence, myoclonic primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures).
* Has had status epilepticus within the 24 weeks prior to, or during, the Baseline Phase.
* Is taking an enzyme-inducing AED (EIAED - e.g. carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone) or is taking more than 1 background AED.
* Is currently taking lamotrigine (LTG) or has previously had an adequate trial of LTG.
* Is currently taking felbamate
* Is using hormone therapy
* Is abusing alcohol and/or other substances
* Has taken an investigational drug within the previous 30 days or plans to take an investigational drug anytime during the study.
* Is receiving chronic treatment with any medication that could influence seizure control
* NOTE: Use of benzodiazepines is allowed as specified in Section 8.1.2
* Is currently following the ketogenic diet.
* Is using vagal nerve stimulation
* Is planning surgery to control seizures during the study.
* Is pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant during the study or within the three weeks after the last dose of study drug.
* Is suffering from acute or progressive neurological disease, severe psychiatric disease or severe mental abnormality that is likely to interfere with the objectives of the study.
* Has any clinically significant cardiac, renal, hepatic condition, or a condition that affects the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of drugs.

Answer: A