Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a rare but debilitating pediatric epileptic
encephalopathy characterized by multiple intractable seizure types. Treatment of LGS is challenging because of the small number of
antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) which are effective for this syndrome, as well as the need for polytherapy in the majority of patients. This review focuses on the treatment of LGS with
rufinamide, a recently approved third-generation AED with reported efficacy as adjunctive
therapy for LGS. All relevant papers identified through a PubMed search on the treatment of LGS with
rufinamide were reviewed. To date, the literature suggests improvements in seizure frequency for pediatric patients with LGS on
rufinamide.
Rufinamide appears to be especially effective for atonic or
drop attack seizures.
Rufinamide also displays a favorable adverse event profile compared with the older
anticonvulsants, as well as a minimal number of drug interactions, making it a promising option for the adjunctive treatment of
seizures associated with LGS.