title: [Hydrocortisone therapy of secondary generalized epilepsy in children].
abstract: Indications for glucocorticoids in the treatment of secondary generalized epilepsy after age one year is discussed. The present retrospective study showed that half of the children exhibited significant reduction of seizure frequency and 2/3 of them improved their cognitive abilities. Results were better in tonic and tonic-clonic seizures than in absences. The mean delay before improvement was 1 month for seizures and 3 months for cognitive abilities. Adverse events were mainly excessive weight gain and arterial hypertension. Both appeared within 2 months of initiating the treatment and disappeared when treatment was discontinued. The following factors seemed to influence the effect of glucocorticoids: the type of seizure, the nature of the epileptic syndrome, the delay between the onset of epilepsy and of treatment, and the beginning of treatment before 4 years of age. Glucocorticoids may be useful when conventional antiepileptic drugs have failed. The initial dose should be 5 mg/kg/day, reduced after 1 month of treatment. Glucocorticoids should be maintained at least for 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Universitaire des enfants Reine-Fabiola Bruxelles.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hasaerts
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dulac
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
vernacular_title: Traitement par hydrocortisone des épilepsies généralisées secondaires du grand enfant.