Topiramate for Weight Management in Children with Severe Obesity

Background: Topiramate has been shown to result in significant weight loss compared to placebo in adults with obesity. However, there are no consensus guidelines on the acceptability, safety, and efficacy of topiramate for weight loss in children. We present a literature review and case series on topiramate use in young children with severe obesity.Methods: We performed a PubMed search from January 2000 to February 2022 utilizing keywords, "topiramate" and "obesity" and "children" and "adolescent." For our case series, children were identified through retrospective chart review from a multidisciplinary weight management program. Eligibility criteria: age <= 12 years, class II or III obesity, completed 16 weeks of topiramate therapy as adjunct to lifestyle modifications. Semistructured interviews were conducted with one parent to review side effects.Results: Literature search yielded nine articles. All studies reported trends toward BMI reduction and weight loss with topiramate monotherapy. Five children met case series eligibility (mean age 10 years 3 months +/- 1.5 years, 60% female). After 16 weeks of topiramate, all children had a decrease in BMI as a percentage of the 95th percentile (mean -12% [-5% to -18%]). Parents reported improvement in impulsive eating and decreased desire to overeat compared to baseline. Four out of five reported no side effects, one reported drowsiness which resolved by dosing at nighttime.Conclusions: Results suggest that topiramate is well tolerated and may be utilized for weight management in younger children. A randomized controlled trial investigating the impact of topiramate for weight management in this age group is warranted.