title: The rapid change to monotherapy with valproic acid in children.
abstract: A review of hospitalized epilepsy patients at Texas Tech University identified 20 children during a 4-year period who had undergone a rapid change from other anticonvulsants to valproate monotherapy. All patients had difficult-to-treat or intractable epilepsy syndromes. In each case, sodium valproate was introduced over a 2- to 4-day period as all other anticonvulsants were withdrawn quickly and sequentially. No acute side effects were seen during hospitalizations, and only one patient reported gastrointestinal complaints. At time of discharge, 12 of the 20 patients were seizure free. Fifteen of the 20 patients were maintained on monotherapy following discharge. By the end of the study period, 12 of the 20 patients showed improvement with valproate, with nine patients experiencing complete seizure control. A rapid switch to valproate monotherapy can be done safely in an inpatient setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Neurology, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock 79430.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hurst
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid