Add-on lamotrigine treatment in children and young adults with severe partial epilepsy: an open, prospective, long-term study.

Abstract

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of lamotrigine in 41 children and young adults (age range, 3-25 years; mean, 12 years) with drug-resistant, partial epilepsies, based on a prospective, add-on study. Patients had severe symptomatic/cryptogenic partial epilepsies (mean seizure frequency = 3.6/day), resistant to one to four major antiepileptic drugs. Mean seizure frequency significantly decreased (P < .001) throughout the period of treatment. A good response (>50% seizure reduction) was observed in 15 patients of whom 6 were seizure-free (follow-up: 12-48 months). Higher responder rate was found among cryptogenic epilepsies and epilepsies symptomatic of cerebral malformation, whereas patients with posthypoxic-ischemic perinatal damage were poor responders. Lamotrigine discontinuation was mainly due to lack of efficacy (46% of patients), whereas only 2 patients developed a transient skin rash and did not drop out. Lamotrigine represents a valuable treatment for severe partial epilepsies of childhood that have proved resistant to previous antiepileptic drugs.

• Authors: L Parmeggiani, A Belmonte, A R Ferrari, E Perucca, R Guerrini
• Journal: Journal of child neurology (J Child Neurol) Vol. 15 Issue 10 Pg. 671-4 (Oct 2000) ISSN: 0883-0738 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11063081 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Triazines
• Lamotrigine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Epilepsies, Partial (diagnosis, drug therapy, etiology)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Lamotrigine
• Male
• Prospective Studies
• Severity of Illness Index
• Treatment Outcome
• Triazines (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)