title: Clinical experiences with topiramate in children with intractable epilepsy.
abstract: At a tertial referral epilepsy centre 39 children were consecutively enrolled in an open add-on study with topiramate (TPM). All children had intractable epilepsy; the mean seizure frequency was 36 per month, and 31 children were treated with polypharmacy. All but five children were mentally retarded. The initial dose of TPM was 0.5-1 mg/kg daily, slowly titrated with 1-3 mg/kg daily every second week with an estimated target dose of 10 mg/kg daily. At latest follow-up 19 children continued on TPM, three (8%) were seizure-free, eight (21%) had a seizure reduction of more than 50% and eight (21%) improved their general condition. Mean follow-up was 13 months (range 9-36 months). Seizure reduction was seen in focal as well as generalized epilepsies. Adverse effects were reported in 21 cases (54%), weight loss and sedation being most frequent. The mean steady state dose in the children continuing on TPM was at latest follow-up: 14 mg/kg daily (< 5 years), 10 mg/kg daily (5-7 years), 5.8 mg/kg daily (8-17 years). The corresponding plasma level varied from 3 to 45 mumol/litre, and a significant correlation between the daily dose in mg/kg and the plasma level was found. Two patients with progressive myoclonus epilepsy are described separately; one had a dramatic general improvement. It is concluded that TPM seems to be a promising new broad-spectrum anti-epileptic drug, which is efficacious even in epilepsy syndromes, intractable to other new anti-epileptic drugs such as vigabatrin and lamotrigine.
authors.affiliation: Dianalund Epilepsy Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Uldall
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Buchholt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077236:Topiramate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose