title: Vigabatrin as add-on therapy in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy: an open trial.
abstract: Seventy-seven children and adolescents with drug-resistant epilepsies received vigabatrin as add-on therapy for a median of 18 months (range 4-36 months) at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day divided in two doses; patients with spasms were given a maximum dose of 100 mg/kg/day. In 23 patients (29.9%), seizure frequency decreased by 50-100% and in 12 patients (15.6%) by 25-50%. The number of seizures remained unchanged in 34 patients (44.1%) and increased in seven (9.1%). Vigabatrin was most effective in cryptogenic and symptomatic partial seizures (39% and 43%, respectively), and in infantile spasms (25%). Adverse events occurred in 20 patients (26%), though they were generally mild and transient, suggesting that vigabatrin is well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Pediatria, Seconda Università di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Terraciano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pascotto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000188:drug therapy; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000188:drug therapy; D020888:Vigabatrin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D020888:Vigabatrin