title: Long-term response to topiramate in patients with West syndrome.
abstract: The long-term effectiveness of topiramate (TPM) was evaluated in children with West syndrome previously refractory to antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy.
  
  
  
  Children with infantile spasms who completed a pilot study were eligible to enter a long-term extension phase in which the dosages of TPM and other AEDs could be adjusted to optimal response (maximum, 50 mg/kg/day TPM). The mean duration of long-term therapy was 18 months in the 11 children who were followed; the mean TPM dosage was 29 mg/kg/day.
  
  
  
  Eight (73%) children were continuing TPM therapy at the time data were analyzed; four (50%) children were spasm free, seven (88%) had experienced a > or =50% reduction in spasms, and three (38%) were able to achieve TPM monotherapy.
  
  
  
  TPM was well tolerated in that no patients discontinued because of adverse events. The response achieved with TPM during the pilot study was maintained in most children.
authors.affiliation: Children's Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA. glauser@chmcc.org
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Glauser
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McGee
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005632:Fructose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077236:Topiramate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose