Current therapy for West syndrome in Japan.
We sent questionnaires concerning the current therapy for West syndrome to 208 institutions at which pediatric care members of the Japan Epilepsy Society were working. Of these, 129 (62%) institutions responded. Vitamin B6 was the preferred first-line drug, followed by the combination of vitamin B6 and valproate or monotherapy with valproate. Corticotropin was the third choice among the drugs. The dosage of corticotropin was lower than previously reported. The treatment of West syndrome is not well established at present and further research is needed to improve the therapeutic protocol.
Ito
M
M
Department of Pediatrics, Shiga Medical Center for Children, Tokyo, Japan. m-ito@qa2.so-net.ne.jp
Seki
T
T
Takuma
Y
Y
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011736:Pyridoxine