Rufinamide, a
triazole derivative, reduces the recovery capacity of neuronal
sodium channels after inactivation, limiting neuronal
sodium-dependent action potential firing and mediating
anticonvulsant effects. In children, adolescents and adults, adjunctive oral
rufinamide was more effective than placebo in treating
seizures associated with treatment-resistant
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in a well designed 16-week trial.
Rufinamide recipients experienced significantly greater reductions from baseline than placebo recipients in the median frequency of total
seizures and tonic-
atonic seizures per 28 days and demonstrated improvements in seizure severity. Furthermore, these beneficial effects of
rufinamide on seizure frequency were maintained throughout a subsequent 3-year, open-label extension study. Relative to placebo, adjunctive
rufinamide significantly reduced the frequency of
partial seizures per 28 days in adult patients with inadequately controlled
partial seizures in two well designed trials of approximate, equals3 months duration, with a higher proportion of
rufinamide recipients achieving a reduction of >or=50% in partial seizure frequency per 28 days.
Rufinamide was generally well tolerated in patients with
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and in those with
partial seizures, with adverse events being mostly mild or moderate in severity.