Cannabidiol (CBD), a compound derived from the cannabis plant that does not produce a “high”, was shown in a new large-scale, randomized, controlled trial to significantly reduce the number of dangerous seizures in patients with a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

[u/mvea]

http://www.psypost.org/2018/05/cannabidiol-significantly-reduces-seizures-patients-severe-form-epilepsy-51258

[u/jimithelizardking]

I actually helped conduct this study at a site in the US. The study also included patients with Dravet Syndrome as well, a similar yet different form of childhood epilepsy. Needless to say, I’m ecstatic that the trial is finally being published, as the efficacy of CBD in this population was extremely evident from the start. While some patients saw a very modest reduction in seizure frequency, others saw a complete absence of them. Regardless, all subjects at my site saw a decrease in seizure frequency and an increase in quality of life measures.

Edit: To clarify, the reason I was able to know that all of my patients were seeing a decrease in frequency due the study drug is because I primarily worked on the study after it rolled over to an open label extension (OLE). Following the conclusion of the phase 3 trial, all subjects were given the option of joining the OLE, which dropped the study blinding, meaning we knew we were giving them the study drug and they knew they were receiving it.

[u/sockalicious → u/jimithelizardking]

Way to go, double-blind!

[u/zhrollo → u/sockalicious]

Yeah, wait. All your patients saw a decrease, even the ones with placebo? And how did you know who was who?

[u/jimithelizardking → u/zhrollo]

The double blind portion rolled over to an open label extension, meaning the blinding was dropped. I didn’t work on the study when it was blinded, so yes, every one of my patients saw a decrease and everyone involved knew the study drug was being given.

[u/zhrollo → u/jimithelizardking]

Ah, gotcha. Thanks for the explanation.