Rufinamide for refractory focal seizures: an open-label, multicenter European study.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

The present study aimed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of rufinamide as adjunctive drug for the treatment of a large series of children, adolescents and adults with refractory cryptogenic or symptomatic focal epilepsy.

METHODS:

Patients were recruited in a prospective, add-on, open-label treatment study from six Italian and one German centers for pediatric and adolescent epilepsy care. Inclusion criteria were: (1) age 3 years or more; (2) diagnosis of cryptogenic or symptomatic focal epilepsy refractory to at least three previous antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), alone or in combination; (3) more than one seizure per month in the last 6 months; (4) use of at least one other AED, but no more than three, at baseline; (5) informed consent from parents and/or caregivers.

RESULTS:

Sixty-eight patients (40 males, 28 females), aged between 3 and 63 years (mean 19.9 years, median 16.0)±SD 12.58, with cryptogenic (28 pts, 41.2%) or symptomatic focal epilepsy (40 pts, 58.8%), were recruited in the study. After a mean follow-up period of 10.4±10.29 months, twenty-two patients (32.3%) had a 50-99% seizure reduction, and none became seizure-free. Twelve patients (17.6%) had a 25-49% seizure decrease, while in 30 (44.1%) seizure frequency was unchanged. A seizure worsening was reported in 5 patients (7.3%). A better response to rufinamide occurred in frontal lobe seizures (51.6%) and secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (50%).

CONCLUSION:

Rufinamide was effective against focal-onset seizures, particularly in the treatment of secondary generalized frontal lobe seizures.

• Authors: Giangennaro Coppola, Nelia Zamponi, Gerhard Kluger, Arndt Mueller, Mazzotta Anna Rita, Pasquale Parisi, Claudia Isone, Elena Santoro, Paolo Curatolo, Alberto Verrotti
• Journal: Seizure (Seizure) Vol. 22 Issue 1 Pg. 33-6 (Jan 2013) ISSN: 1532-2688 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23079159 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Triazoles
• rufinamide

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Anticonvulsants (blood, therapeutic use)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Europe
• Female
• Humans
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Seizures (blood, drug therapy)
• Treatment Outcome
• Triazoles (blood, therapeutic use)
• Young Adult