Clobazam as add-on therapy for temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Clobazam is a benzodiazepine with known antiepileptic action; however, it is not considered first line therapy in the treatment of epilepsy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of clobazam as add-on therapy in adults with temporal lobe epilepsy associated with MRI evidence of hippocampal sclerosis (HS).

METHOD:

This is a retrospective study, conducted at our epilepsy clinic which evaluated clobazam as add-on therapy in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and MRI signs of HS. Clobazam was prescribed based on the minimum effective dose up to the maximum tolerated dose.

RESULTS:

Seventy-eight patients met the inclusion criteria (51 women), ages ranging from 16 to 76 years old (mean=42.2). Dosage of clobazam ranged from 5 to 60 mg/day (mean=22.6 mg/day). Clobazam was used from one month to eight years (mean=29 months). Sixteen (20.5%) patients were seizure-free, 20 (25.5%) had more than 75% improvement in seizure control, eight (10%) had more than 50% and 20 (26%) were non responders to clobazam. In 14 (18%) we could not determine seizure frequency during follow-up. The improvement in seizure control lasted for more than one year in 30 (68%) patients.

CONCLUSION:

Our data suggest that clobazam should be considered as add-on therapy in the treatment of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy associated with MRI signs of HS.

• Authors: Maria Augusta Montenegro, Claudio Meilman Ferreira, Fernando Cendes, Li M Li, Carlos A M Guerreiro
• Journal: The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques (Can J Neurol Sci) Vol. 32 Issue 1 Pg. 93-6 (Feb 2005) ISSN: 0317-1671 [Print] England
• PMID: 15825553 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Benzodiazepines
• Clobazam

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Benzodiazepines (therapeutic use)
• Clobazam
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe (drug therapy)
• Female
• Hippocampus (pathology)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Retrospective Studies
• Sclerosis (drug therapy, pathology)