title: Lamotrigine treatment in childhood drug resistant epilepsy.
abstract: The clinical response to lamotrigine has been evaluated in a group of 63 drug resistant epileptic children in an open add-on trial. A negative response was observed in 30 subjects. In 11 patients, after an initial improvement lasting a mean period of 8 months, seizures recurred with the same frequency present before the beginning of the treatment. Twenty-two patients responded to lamotrigine treatment. Period of observation in the responsive group ranged from 1 year to 3 years. Response was complete in 16 patients and in the other 6 a 50% to 90% decrease of seizures was obtained. A complete normalization of the electroencephalogram (EEG) was registered in 10 cases after a mean period of 5 months of therapy. Side effects were mild and limited to 12 patients. Improvement was obtained in social and academic performance. Writing ability improved in one case. Lamotrigine can be considered a useful drug in the therapeutic armamentarium for childhood drug resistant epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pediatrics, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fois
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008297:Male; D012640:Seizures; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine