[Long-term efficacy and tolerance of stiripentaol in severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (Dravet's syndrome)].

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To describe the long term efficacy and tolerance of stiripentol associated with valproate and clobazam in an exhaustive cohort of patients with severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (Dravet's syndrome), in which short term efficacy of such a treatment has recently been demonstrated in a placebo-controlled trial.

RESULTS:

In 46 patients the frequency and the duration of seizures was significantly reduced (p < 0.001) as well as the number of convulsive status at a median of three-year follow-up. Ten patients were dramatically improved (seizures significantly decreased in number [p = 0.002] and duration [p = 0.002] and status epilepticus disappeared), 20 were moderately improved (seizures significantly decreased in duration [p = 0.001] and status were less numerous), four had no response and efficacy was non evaluable in 12 mainly because of adverse events. Efficacy was better in the youngest patients. The most frequent adverse events were loss of appetite and loss of weight. They could be so severe in patients over 12 years of age that the stiripentol dosage could not be increased to 50 mg kg-1 j-1.

CONCLUSION:

This follow-up study shows that stiripentol added to valproate and clobazam maintains its efficacy at long term in children with severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy and suggests that the tritherapy should be introduced as early as possible in these patients in order to suppress the convulsive status epilepticus.

• Authors: T Nguyen Thanh, C Chiron, G Dellatolas, E Rey, G Pons, J Vincent, O Dulac
• Journal: Archives de pediatrie : organe officiel de la Societe francaise de pediatrie (Arch Pediatr) Vol. 9 Issue 11 Pg. 1120-7 (Nov 2002) ISSN: 0929-693X [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Efficacité et tolérance à long terme du stiripentol dans le traitement de l'épilepsie myoclonique sévère du nourrisson (syndrome de Dravet).
• PMID: 12503502 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Anxiety Agents
• Anticonvulsants
• Dioxolanes
• Benzodiazepines
• Clobazam
• Valproic Acid
• stiripentol

Topics

• Anti-Anxiety Agents (therapeutic use)
• Anticonvulsants (administration & dosage, adverse effects, pharmacology)
• Benzodiazepines
• Child, Preschool
• Clobazam
• Dioxolanes (administration & dosage, adverse effects, pharmacology)
• Epilepsies, Myoclonic (drug therapy, pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Male
• Severity of Illness Index
• Treatment Outcome
• Valproic Acid (therapeutic use)